City Council approved the 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets on Monday, November 17, 2025. The final plan keeps the property tax increase at 3.5% while protecting core services and funding key infrastructure upgrades across the city.
Administration presented a draft operating budget of $285.4 million and a capital budget of $42.1 million. During two days of open debate, councillors reviewed the numbers and requested adjustments to keep costs in check.
"We know that every dollar counts in a household," said Mayor Danielle Okafor-Price. "This budget allows us to maintain the high quality of services you rely on, from waste collection to park maintenance, without placing a heavy burden on taxpayers. We made tough choices to find efficiencies and protect our most important programs."
For the average single-detached home, the 3.5% increase adds about $42.00 per year, or $3.50 per month. The budget also includes a 2.5% increase in water and wastewater fees to support ongoing pipe replacements and system upgrades.
Councillors approved several key measures during the vote. These include a $120,000 increase in funding for the Downtown Wrenford BIA to support local businesses, a one-time $50,000 contribution to the Wrenford Police Service for community outreach, and a $200,000 boost to the Community Culture Development Fund for local arts and grants.
To help balance the books, the budget adopts a higher vacancy and efficiency factor across all departments, identifying roughly $3.2 million in savings over the year. Council also voted to reduce the planned reserve contribution by $1.0 million, keeping more funds available for immediate service needs.
The approved budget documents are now available on the City's website. Residents can view the full financial plans and upcoming fee schedules on the View the current annual budget. For more details on how the City plans its spending, visit the Budget engagement section.