The Town of Whitby managed to keep its 2026 property tax increase at 3.44 per cent due to savings and generation of new revenue sources, according to Mayor Elizabeth Roy.
Proposed and deemed 2026 tax increase across Durham municipalities (see below) range from 1.26 per cent to 4.68 per cent.
“Whitby’s staff found more than $2 million in internal cost savings to bring the 2026 tax increase down to 3.44 per cent. Creating new sources of revenue also helps offset the tax rate,” she said in a year-end review.
This included a $1.5 million, 10-year naming rights agreement for the new Fieldgate Sports Complex, and a projected $600,000 in revenue from the town’s new 4 per cent Municipal Accommodation Tax on hotel and motel stays.
In 2025 the town was successful in receiving $21.4 million in grant funding from the provincial and federal governments – an accomplishment that helps fund important initiatives while lessening the impact on property taxes, the mayor said.
She said the town’s tax rebate program to support low-income seniors and low-income homeowners with disabilities will increase to $543 in 2026.
Community Strategic Plan
Creating a Community Strategic Plan for Whitby was one of her biggest priorities for this term of office. Council endorsed the final plan in June 2023 – it includes 62 action items that reflect the priorities of residents including the waterfront, healthcare, green spaces, community safety, economic growth, and the desire to address social needs, like homelessness and food security.
Mayor Roy said: “I’m thrilled to share that 100 per cent of the action items are now underway or complete. Of the 49 that are still in progress, more than 83 per cent are nearing completion at this time. As you read through the 2025 year-in-review, nearly all the items relate to the Community Strategic Plan. We’re delivering on the priorities our residents told us matter most.”
Finalize Hospital Land Disposition
Whitby mayor said the town held talks with Ontario Health Minister, Sylvia Jones to advocate for finalization of the land disposition from the Ministry of Transportation for a 50-acre parcel located at Lake Ridge Road and Winchester Road, which will be the site of a new hospital in Whitby.
A Town of Whitby delegation addressed this issue directly with Minister of Health Sylvia Jones at the Association of Municipalities Conference in Ottawa in August.
Mayor Roy said construction is underway on Hospice Whitby – Roger Anderson House, a 10-bed hospice that will bring much-needed end-of-life care to our community. There is currently one eight-bed hospice in Port Perry serving all of Durham, when data shows the region needs at least 37 hospice beds. Whitby’s new hospice, combined with the new Marigold Hospice in Clarington will go a long way towards improving access to end-of-life care in Durham.
The Town of Whitby continued to partner with the Oshawa Clinic Group on family physician recruitment efforts for the Whitby Health Centre. Through the program, up to 10 family physicians will be provided with incentives over five-year term, the funding for which will be equally shared between the town and the Oshawa Clinic Group. Each physician will have an anticipated 1,000 patients by the third year – which means 10,000 additional Whitby residents with a family doctor. In 2025, this initiative expanded to include other local clinics.
Biggest Investments of 2025
One of Whitby’s biggest investments of 2025 was the opening of a Mazda Canada Parts Distribution Centre (top image). The multi-million dollar, 279,000 square foot facility is the primary distribution centre for 127 Mazda dealerships in Ontario and across other parts of Canada, as well as 795 dealerships in the U.S.
Whitby Council, with the cooperation of other municipal shareholders, endorsed a reinvestment of $62 million of Elexicon dividends. This direction will help Elexicon invest in electricity infrastructure needed to meet the needs of Whitby’s rapidly growing population, including supporting the new hospital, employment lands along Highway 407, new housing, and the new Fieldgate Sports Complex.
The number of businesses registered in the Town of Whitby continues to grow, increasing from 3,904 in 2024 to 4,009 in 2025. That’s an increase of 105 new businesses this year!
The town took action on U.S. tariffs in 2025 with Mayor’s Tariff Taskforce and amending the procurement bylaw to prioritize the purchase of goods and services from Canadian suppliers wherever possible and restrict U.S. businesses from bidding on town contracts.
Grant and Funding
The province announced $19.9 million in funding to support the expansion of Columbus Road from Country Lane to Ashburn Road. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026. The new road will help ensure future homes in the area are connected to reliable road, sidewalk, and bridge infrastructure.
In May, the Government of Canada and Town of Whitby announced a more than $1 million investment to significantly upgrade the Whitby 55+ Recreation Centre.
Downtown Revitalization
The seasonal, community gathering space on Roebuck Street in Downtown Brooklin was further enhanced in 2025 with a new foosball table, cornhole boards, strawberry photo op, public art, solar powered self-compacting garbage receptacles, bike rack and Edison lights throughout Grass Park
Work continued on a study to redesign Brock Street from Highway 401 to the CP Railway Bridge. In 2025, Phase 2 of public engagement was completed on the concept design.
Governance
In February, the mayor issued a directive to the town’s Chief Administrative Officer to research and provide advice to council on retaining an objective third-party expert to undertake a core services review. This review, which is now in progress, will take a critical look at the services the town delivers, evaluating whether they meet the needs of the community and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
In May, council voted to change the way Whitby’s four regional councillors are elected — from the current at large method to election by ward.
Arts, Culture and Tourism
Whitby saw record-breaking event attendance in 2025 with over 90,000 residents and visitors attending over 75 events hosted by the town and community event organizers.
The inaugural Home Sweet Home Festival took place in July bringing over 25,000 people to Downtown Whitby to explore local businesses and vendors, enjoy live music and take part in fun activities.
Following the adoption of a new Public Art Policy in 2024, several new public art pieces were installed in 2025 including a street piano at the Whitby Waterfront painted by youth artist Jasmine Ward, two Indigenous art panels at Shirley Scott Park created by artist Tessa Shank, and a mural on Roebuck Street by artists Daniel Fromstein, Chrrie Carley and Lesley Kelz. Public consultation was also completed for a new public art piece coming to Thickson Road in 2026.
Homelessness and Food Security
Whitby Council unanimously supported the donation of two plots of town-owned land to Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area to build 40 affordable housing units near Hickory Street South and Dunlop Street East. An official kick-off event took place in May, and the Making Homes Possible in Whitby Action Committee has been formed to help fundraise and engage volunteers.
In 2025, the Mayor’s Community Development Fund provided funding to many organizations that support residents facing food insecurity including We Grow Food, Ignite Durham Learning Foundation and the Whitby Salvation Army Food Bank.
Coming up in 2026
- Mid-2026 grand opening of the new Fieldgate Sports Complex. Final phases of work will include completing interior finishes, constructing park program spaces, and finalizing landscaping.
- Continued work with the Ministry of Transportation on the land disposition process for the new Whitby hospital as well as next steps for the hospital fundraising campaign
- Transformation of the historic James Rowe House at the Whitby Waterfront, into a restaurant and culinary hub. Expected to open in 2026, the restaurant – called 301 Rowe – will feature French cuisine and a bistro open daily offering homemade baked goods. The new concept will create an estimated 50 jobs.
- Major investments coming in 2026 include a new 48,000 sq. ft. Toromont Cat facility in Brooklin providing equipment sales, rentals, parts, and service. SoftMoc National Headquarters has also announced a new automated warehouse in Whitby, further strengthening the town’s growing industrial and commercial landscape.
- Town staff are developing a report that outlines the rationale, location options, and development process for a future refrigerated outdoor skating facility. The report is scheduled to come to Council in 2026.
- The Town’s Economic Development team is developing Whitby’s first Intelligent Cities Action Plan to guide smart technology adoption, digital infrastructure, and innovation partnerships. The plan is expected to go to Council in early 2026.
- Anne Ottenbrite Pool is scheduled to undergo significant upgrades including resurfacing of the pool lining, upgrades to the filtration system, new tiling and lockers, renovations to the change rooms and improvements to the viewing area.
- Design work is underway on a Waterfront Trail extension to connect Longwood Park to Thickson Road through a hydro power corridor, with construction expected in 2026
- A new, commemorative dedication feature will be introduced at the Whitby Waterfront, giving residents the opportunity to purchase metal plaques with nautical or fish-themed designs to be installed on the existing railing at Lions Promenade
A conceptual design for Rotary Centennial Park will be shared with the public to gather feedback ahead of construction in 2026. - The grand opening of the waterfront Visitor’s Centre will take place in Spring 2026, along with the installation of an accessible dock for kayaks and paddleboards.
- A new Neighbourhood Microgrant Program will be launched to support grassroots and neighbourhood-based projects with a grant of up to $500. This initiative addresses a gap in funding for individuals or small groups that support projects like workshops for newcomers, community bulletin boards and little libraries.
- Improvements are planned for Divine Park and Spencer Community Centre including new play equipment designed to meet current accessibility standards
- Work will get underway on the Whitby Marina Comprehensive Design Study to guide long-term improvements to this key waterfront asset.
- The Invest Whitby team will continue work to secure a new hotel and conference centre for Whiby, including using the newly released Hotel Feasibility Study and Marketing Booklet, to pitch the opportunity to investors.
- With the recent release of 100+ acres of provincially owned land along the MTO corridor, Town staff will profile industrial space in key areas such as Port Whitby, Brooklin, and the Conlin Road and Garrard Road area, to expand Whitby’s commercial and industrial tax base.
- A new Downtown Whitby Action Plan will be presented to Council in early 2026 and more placemaking enhancements are planned for Downtown Whitby and Downtown Brooklin, including tourism maps for both downtowns
- A final report on the Brock Street Redesign Study will come to Council in 2026, including a final concept plan, costing and phasing plan for Council adoption
- A new public art piece will be installed on Thickson Road between Dundas Street and Nichol Avenue. “Flutter” by Ontario artist Nicolas Crombach will beautify this key corridor, which sees about 22,000 vehicles pass through daily.
- The Town’s first Waste Management Plan will be finalized and presented to Council in 2026, with the goal of starting implementation in the spring. A new Invasive Species Management Plan will also be developed.
Proposed 2026 Durham Property Tax Increases
- Durham Region: 4.8% (including DRPS)
- City of Pickering: 3.49% own portion
- Town of Ajax: 1.28% own portion
- Town of Whitby: 3.44%
- City of Oshawa: 3.98% own portion
- Municipality of Clarington: 3% (own portion 0.99%)
- Township of Scugog: 4.12% own portion
- Township of Brock 4.87% (own portion 3.79%)
- Township of Uxbridge: 1.26% own portion
The above tax increases may have to be approved or may automatically come into force.