The region vote against the cut to 3 per cent in property tax increase for 2026 was not against lowering of taxes, but against using reserves to do so, said a regional councillor.
“The first vote – the much misquoted 15-13 context – was on whether to use reserves to reduce the presented tax increase of 6.04 per cent (already reduced from 6.6 per cent by staff). It was not about whether any particular councillor was in favour of lower taxes or not,” Rick Kerr, Regional and City Councillor for Oshawa Ward 4, told Durham Post.
“What was not posted was the second vote of 20-2 (with 6 councillors absent). This came once the decision was made to approve the use of reserves to reduce the tax down to 3 per cent. This means councillors approved of the goal of lower taxes – just not the original motion as to how to do that,” Kerr explained.
“This vote was at the Committee of the Whole and was not an approval by council. Council approval can only take place at a council meeting. This also meant the motion brought forward (to use reserves) could be amended at council before final approval,” he pointed out.
Key Date January 28
Lastly, at council, Kerr said an amendment was made to make the tax hike 4.8 per cent. This amendment was referred back to the council meeting on January 28 to give councillors more time to suggest savings or service level cuts to bring down the tax rate, rather than using reserves to do so, he said.
“I realize the process may be unfamiliar to those not involved in the council decision-making process, but it is necessary to understand the thinking which took place – and not to take one councillor’s word for this,” he added.
The increase in the Region of Durham share of the property tax for 2026 has undergone several changes at various levels of government starting with a regional council cap of 3.5 per cent announced last year, followed by a guideline of 6.6 per cent, reduced to 6.04 per cent, then halved to 3 per cent and now at 4.8 per cent.
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: 3.49%
- 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.