The City of Oshawa is trying to confuse taxpayers about the 2026 increases, according to Brian Nicholson, Councillor for city Ward 5 and at Durham Council.
A City of Oshawa draft budget document says the proposed increase in the city’s portion of property taxes for 2026 is at 4.68 per cent (see below). However, the city now claims, the increase in its own portion of the 2026 tax rise is just 1.97 per cent (see below).
In contrast, public pressure has brought the proposed increase in neighbouring Town of Whitby down from 3.99 per cent to 3.49 per cent. The Township of Uxbridge says the increase in its portion of the tax bill is just 1.28 per cent.
Not A Response Residents Hoped For
“It appears that the pressure from area residents regarding potential tax increases in Durham municipalities is garnering a response,” said Nicholson in a media post. “Unfortunately, it is not the one residents had hoped to achieve.
“Instead of actually lowering the proposed tax increase, we now see numerous attempts to confuse taxpayers about the increase being sought,” he pointed out.
He said the city is asking Oshawa taxpayers to pay 4.68 per cent more on the portion of their tax bill that goes to the City of Oshawa.
Sleight of Hand
“Rather than lowering that number to a lesser level, we see press releases being sent out that erases the 4.68 per cent increase and replaces it with 1.97 per cent representing the Oshawa portion of the overall municipal tax bill. They do this by carving out the Oshawa portion from the portions given to Durham Region and the local School Boards,” the councillor explained.
“This sleight of hand will not wash with area taxpayers. The reality is that the amount of money that the city is increasing taxes to pay for the city budget is going up by 4.68 per cent,” said Nicholson.
If the City of Oshawa truly wants credit for a tax increase less than 2 per cent, then actually deliver a tax increase less than 2 per cent and stop this game of ‘now you see it, now you don’t’,” the councillor added.
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