Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy released a statement yesterday promising to reduce the proposed property tax rise for 2026 after residents expressed concern about the tax increase in face of high cost of living.
Her amendments would bring the proposed tax increase from 3.99 per cent to 3.49 per cent.
The budget adjustments come at the cost of:
- Removing $500,000 of incremental contribution to the Growth Reserve Fund.
- Reducing the Council Education Budget by half for a savings of $21,000.
- Increasing lease revenue by $160,000, and
- Removing 12 summer student positions in 2026 for a savings of $180,829.
“Any further reduction to the proposed tax increase would come at a real cost — cuts to programs and services,” said Mayor Roy.
“I have worked closely with town staff to explore every possible option to reduce the impact on taxpayers, including what it would take to achieve a zero-per-cent increase. Moving in that direction would require additional discussion and direction from council,” she added.
Significant Financial Pressures
Whitby faces significant financial pressures driven by high inflation, rapid population growth, aging infrastructure, and the ongoing impacts of provincial downloading.
The proposed budget is to prioritize investments needed to support Whitby’s growth, maintain the infrastructure, and deliver the high-quality services expected by residents.
The mayor added: “There is no new staffing included in the proposed 2026 budget and town staff have identified $2.5 million in expenditure reductions, some of which will result in service level impacts.”
New revenue sources are also being looked at to offset the decrease in property tax such as a 4 per cent Municipal Accommodation Tax on hotels and motels introduced in 2024, which resulted in $600,000 in revenue in the first 12 months. The town also secured a record $56 million in grants in 2024.
The mayor’s proposed 2026 budget, which builds on the draft budget released by town staff on October 27, was released yesterday..