The Township has begun developing its 2027 Operating and Capital Budget. A draft budget has not yet been prepared, and no tax increase has been approved.
On September 17, 2026, Council endorsed the 2027 Budget Directive, establishing the financial parameters staff must work within when preparing the first draft.
The Budget Directive identifies known cost pressures. Some municipal costs are increasing faster than general inflation and do not follow the same basket of goods used to calculate CPI. Ontario CPI increased approximately 2.4% between August 2025 and August 2026, while some known municipal pressures include OPP policing: up to 11%, Insurance: approximately 10%.
Known pressures alone would result in an estimated 9.48% municipal tax-rate impact if they were simply added to the budget without adjustments.
Staff have been directed to prepare the initial draft within the Township’s existing financial strategy:
- 3% to continue addressing the infrastructure funding gap identified through the Asset Management Plan; and
- Approximately 1.72% to maintain municipal operations and existing services.
This creates a base planning target of 4.72%. The operating portion of approximately 1.72% is below the current 2.4% CPI rate and below several of the specific increases facing the Township.
Council will also consider an additional 0.6% toward the funding gap identified through the Gravel Roads Asset Management Plan, resulting in a potential planning range of 4.72% to 5.32%.
Working within this range requires staff to review revenues and expenses, identify efficiencies and offsets, confirm that projected increases are necessary and reasonable, and consider adjustments to projects and funding sources. Identifying a financial pressure does not mean it will be accepted at face value or passed directly to taxpayers.
Preliminary Taxpayer Impact
| Preliminary planning option | Estimated annual impact per $200,000 of assessment |
|---|---|
| 4.72% | $50.28 |
| 5.32% | $56.67 |
These preliminary estimates apply to the municipal portion only and are based on assessed value, not current market value. The final impact will depend on the budget approved by Council.
Council Review
The Budget Directive is the beginning of the Township’s normal annual budget process.
The draft Operating and Capital Budgets will be presented publicly in November. Council will review the budgets line by line and may make changes to services, expenditures, revenues, capital projects, project timing and funding sources before approving the final budget.
Community feedback from the 2027 Municipal Budget Survey will be presented to Council and considered during this review.
How Municipal Projects Are Funded
Not every Township expense or capital project is funded through the municipal property-tax levy. Funding sources may include:
- Provincial and federal grants;
- Development charges collected from growth;
- Reserves and reserve funds;
- Canada Community-Building Fund revenue;
- User fees and other revenues;
- Development Charge-supported borrowing; and
- Property-tax-supported funding or borrowing.
Understanding Municipal Debt
Not all Township debt is repaid through the municipal property-tax levy. Some borrowing is supported by Development Charges collected for eligible growth-related projects, while other borrowing is tax-supported or funded through a combination of sources.
View the Understanding Municipal Debt section for the current debenture breakdown and the amount supported by Development Charges versus the municipal levy.
Watch the Budget Direction Presentation
Residents are encouraged to watch the full presentation to understand:
- What a budget direction is;
- What affects the municipal levy;
- Known 2027 financial pressures;
- The difference between operating and capital costs;
- How infrastructure and capital projects are funded;
- The difference between tax-supported and Development Charge-supported debt;
- The options Council will consider; and
- How public feedback will inform the final budget.
[Watch the September 17 Budget Direction Presentation on YouTube]
Have Your Say
Community feedback is an important part of the budget process. Residents are encouraged to complete the 2027 Municipal Budget Survey by September 27, 2026.
Survey results will be presented publicly to Council and considered during budget development and deliberations.
Budget Schedule
- October 15: Budget survey results presented to Council
- November 26: Draft Municipal and Library Budget presentations
- December 10: Budget deliberations
- December: TBA
