The Township of Scugog yesterday announced that due to the growth in housing that was added to the assessment roll for 2026, the originally estimated tax increase of 5.54 per cent in 2026 is now expected to be 4.12 per cent.
The Region of Durham has issued its own guideline of 6.5 per cent tax rise for 2026 of which the impact on a resident’s overall bill, it claims, will be 3.5 per cent. Some two-thirds of a resident’s tax bill goes to the region, the police and the school boards, while about a third is retained by the local municipality.
Scugog township explained that its 4.12 per cent rise represents 4 per cent for infrastructure needs, such as roads, facilities, vehicles, and equipment, and 0.12 per cent for general operations.
“The impact on the average residential property equates to a monthly increase of $6.55,” it said while announcing that the 2026 budget will be deemed adopted following the December 15 council meeting.
A township statement said Mayor Wilma Wotten followed the new strong mayor’s legislation and applied strict guidelines for staff to produce a budget that maintained operations while keeping costs below the cost-of-living average.
“I think it’s important to note that from the estimated 4.12 per cent increase, 4 per cent goes directly to funding the township’s infrastructure needs. We heard from town hall meetings that those who completed our budget survey preferred keeping infrastructure investments to help repair our roads and maintain our aging buildings. This is money that goes directly to these projects, and not for day-to-day operational needs,” said Mayor Wotten.
Earlier, Mayor Wotten had announced she was relinquishing her strong mayor powers.
Through the review of the capital budget, the township also looked at spreading out the cost of projects over multiple years or even deferring large projects – like the Queen Street road rehabilitation – while advancing other needed road works to 2026, said the township statement.
“I opted to issue one last directive for the 2026 budget to move the Queen Street Corridor Study back to 2028,” said Mayor Wotten. “This aligns with moving the Queen Street and Perry Street roadworks to the 2031 forecast, so that the results received from the Corridor Study will help inform the planned roadworks. It also provides staff with more time to review/revise the scope of the Corridor Study and consult with stakeholders.”
Proposed 2026 Durham Tax Increases
- Durham Region: 6.5% (own portion 3.5%)
- Durham Police: 3%
- Township of Scugog: 4.12% own portion
- Township of Brock 4.87% (own portion 3.79%)
- City of Oshawa: 3.98% own portion
- Town of Whitby: 3.49%
- Municipality of Clarington: 3% (own portion 0.99%)
- Township of Uxbridge: 1.28% own portion
The above tax increases may have to be approved or may automatically come into force.
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