From an earlier proposed 3.49 per cent increase, Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy, said the final and adopted budget for 2026 calls for a 3.44 per cent rise in the tax levy.
She confirmed that she will not exercise the power, provided under the Municipal Act, to veto the council-approved amendments.
“This has been a challenging budget year for Whitby – and for communities across Ontario – with pressures from inflation, population growth, tariffs, and continued provincial downloading. We worked hard to mitigate these impacts by making reductions across all departments for a savings of $2 million, pausing new staff hires for 2026, and introducing new revenue sources such as the Municipal Accommodation Tax on hotels and motels. The result is a budget that balances the need for affordability with the importance of delivering high-quality services and planning responsibly for Whitby’s future,” Mayor Roy said.
The final budget will result in a 3.44 per cent tax increase to the Town’s budget or an estimated 1.2% increase on the total residential bill for town services for 2026, said a statement adding that this represents an increase of just over 21 cents per day.
The budget also focuses on delivering on the key action items of Whitby’s Community Strategic Plan, investing in council-approved initiatives like the Whitby Sports Complex and a new fire hall and firefighters to support growth.
The town’s $198 million operating budget will support the continued delivery of programs and services including fire services, waste collection, parks and trails, maintenance of roads and community facilities, recreation, libraries, and many other important services.
The budget also includes $62 million in capital investments like:
- Continued construction on the Whitby Sports Complex, Mid-Block Arterial Roadway, and Columbus Road;
- Construction of a new Fire Hall in West Whitby, as well as full funding for 20 new firefighters to staff it;
- Community events like the Home Sweet Home Festival;
- Playground equipment replacement & accessibility improvements at Divine and Folkstone Parks;
- Waterfront improvements, including around the Shirley Scott Park;
- New traffic safety and calming measures,
- Including pedestrian crossings and traffic signal replacements/signage;
- Road maintenance, resurfacing, and reconstruction
In a 2025 Greater Toronto Area comparison of residential tax rates and annual property taxes paid on a home assessed at $500,000, the top two municipalities with the highest taxes sit at over $7,500 each, while Whitby’s are $6,661.
The town has implemented a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) collected from visitors staying at motels and hotels in Whitby and is looking at other non-tax revenues to mitigate property tax increases. For 2025, the town is projected to receive over $600,000 in MAT revenues to be re-invested into the community.
The town’s tax rebate program to support low-income seniors and low-income homeowners with disabilities will increase to $543 in 2026.
Proposed 2026 Durham Tax Increases
- Durham Region: 6.5% (against an announced cap of 3.5%)
- Township of Scugog: 5.54% own portion
- Township of Brock 4.87% (own portion 3.79%)
- City of Oshawa: 3.98% own portion
- Town of Whitby: 3.44%
- Municipality of Clarington: 3% (own portion 0.99%)
- Township of Uxbridge: 1.28% own portion
All of the above tax increases have yet to be approved or may automatically come into force (see below).
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