Burlington’s proposed 2026 Budget now available for review

Burlington, Ont.— Oct. 27, 2025 — The City of Burlington’s proposed 2026 Budget is available for review. Residents are invited to view the proposed budget at burlington.ca/budget to learn about proposed key investments in City services that foster a vibrant, high quality of life in the city.

The proposed budget will officially be presented on Monday, Nov. 3 at the Committee of the Whole meeting, starting at 1 p.m. Members of the public who wish to speak to Council at the meeting may register to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate by noon on Friday, Oct. 31.

Proposed property tax increase

The City of Burlington’s proposed 2026 Budget includes a 5.80% increase in the city’s budget and results in an overall property tax increase for residents of 4.49%. This percentage includes services delivered by the City of Burlington, Halton Region (including Police Services), and the Boards of Education and represents the impact residents will see on their property tax bill. The 4.49% proposed increase is an additional $43.68 in property taxes for every $100,000 of residential current value assessment.

Proposed investment priorities

Some of the key investments identified in the proposed 2026 Budget are:

• Resilient infrastructure – $105.7M in capital investments planned for 2026, including $48.9M to invest in aging roadways, $12.2M for investments in city parks, and $12.2M for investments in city facilities
• Swift emergency response – $1.6M to replace aging Fire fleet, including one large rescue truck and two support vehicles, and $450K for the renewal of emergency response radios and pagers
• Reliable transit – including $4.2M to replace aging transit fleet with hybrid-electric vehicles, $404K for an additional specialized transit vehicle (Handi Van) to support increased demand for this service, and $100K for transit maintenance to reduce service disruptions
• Flood protection – including $7.6M towards storm water management capital projects in 2026 to protect homes and natural areas
• Safe streets – including $675K for traffic management technology that enhances the movement of fire emergency vehicles and transit buses through signalized intersections to improve schedule and response times.
• Welcoming parks and community centres – including $180K to support the operation of Burlington Public Library’s New Appleby Branch and $41K for more frequent waste management in parks, supporting cleaner public spaces

Next steps

Following the presentation of the proposed 2026 Budget on Nov. 3 at Committee of the Whole, City Council will have an opportunity to:

• Hear from City staff in each Division of the City about recent service investments, economic pressures and service needs at the Budget Committee meeting on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to speak to Council by registering to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate by noon on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
• Review the proposed 2026 Budget at the Budget Committee meeting on Nov. 24 & 25, if required, at 9:30 a.m. During this meeting, Council members can bring motions forward to modify the proposed budget. Members of the public are also welcome to speak to Council by registering to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate by noon on Friday, Nov. 21.

A Special Council meeting to finalize the 2026 Budget will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 2 immediately following the Committee of the Whole meeting. Members of the public are welcome to speak to Council by registering to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate by noon on Monday, Dec. 1.

Burlington is a city where people, nature and business thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.

Quick Facts

• At the Regular Meeting of City Council on July 15, 2025, Council endorsed a Mayoral Direction for City staff to prepare a 2026 budget that results in a total tax increase (including the City, Halton Region, and Boards of Education) in the order of 4.5 per cent.
• The proposed budget considers economic pressures and service needs facing the City of Burlington, along with feedback shared by residents through various engagement opportunities, including Food for Feedback, an online budget survey, a budget workbook, and six town hall meetings.
• Engagement on the budget is ongoing with a 2026 Budget Telephone Town Hall happening on Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. Residential phone numbers will be randomly chosen for the telephone town hall event. To add a number to the call list or request not to be called, email getinvolved@burlington.ca by 1 p.m. on Nov. 5. Residents can also call in to join the town hall at 1-800-784-7286, starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5.

Quotes

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
“As your Mayor, my top priority is to ensure Burlington remains not only a wonderful place to live, but also a city people can afford to call home. That means continuing to invest in the services and infrastructure you rely on every day, while also making smart, fiscally responsible decisions with your tax dollars. Thank you to everyone who has taken part in our recent public engagement sessions. Your input helps City Council understand what matters most to you and guides the decisions that shape Burlington’s future.”

Paul Sharman, Deputy Mayor for Strategy and Budgets and Ward 5 Councillor

“Council greatly values the feedback we have heard so far from residents. As we take the next step in the budget process, every piece of feedback shared will be weighed to help us determine how we can continue to maintain the high quality of life our community deserves. I encouraged residents to stay engaged and follow the discussion as we move through the process together.”

Links and Resources

• All Council and Committee meetings related to the 2026 Budget process take place at City Hall, 426 Brant St., in Council Chambers. Members of the public can also watch a livestream of the meetings at burlington.ca/calendar.
• To speak to Council at an upcoming Committee or Council meeting, register to delegate at burlington.ca/delegate. Registrations are due by noon the business day before the meeting.
• Visit getinvolvedburlington.ca/2026budget for more information about 2026 Budget public engagement.
• Learn more about the City’s budget process at burlington.ca/budget.

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