Mayor Martin releases draft 2026 Levy Operating Budget

Mayor Amy Martin tabled the draft 2026 Levy Operating Budget today, fulfilling her legislated responsibilities under the Municipal Act.  The proposed budget aims to balance fiscal responsibility with strategic investments that support essential services and community priorities. 

The draft Levy Operating Budget reflects the County’s continued commitment to long-term financial sustainability. Consistent with previous direction from Mayor Martin, the draft Levy Operating Budget is a staff-proposed document, developed collaboratively and without mayoral amendments. Year-over-year, the base budget increase for County operations is below inflation – a testament to Council and staff’s efforts to keep the cost of delivering core services aligned with inflation. 

In accordance with provincial legislation, Norfolk County Council has 30 days to propose amendments to the draft Levy Operating Budget. Council will convene as Budget Committee on January 21 and 22 (if required), 2026, to deliberate the budget.  A special Council meeting will be held following budget committee to formalize adoption of the budget. 

Levy Operating Budget highlights

The draft budget proposes a net levy requirement of $146.6 million (+$10.1 million), representing a 7.4 per cent net levy increase. For the average residential property, the impact is equivalent to a 5.5 per cent property tax increase, which translates to $4,084 for a median home, an increase of $212.71 per year or $4.09 per week.  

Additional costs, over and above the base budget, include a mandatory 0.9 per cent expense for OPP service - and 2.5 per cent for infrastructure funding, which includes debt servicing costs and contributions to reserves, to continue building a solid financial foundation for Norfolk’s future, among other strategic investments. 

The draft budget includes several proposed initiatives to strengthen services and operations, along with key Council-approved priorities focused on infrastructure and service delivery. Discussions will continue as part of the overall budget process. 

The Draft 2026 Levy Operating Budget can be found at NorfolkCounty.ca/Budget.  

Quote  

Mayor Amy Martin  

“This budget is about balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to invest in critical services and infrastructure that matter most to our residents. By keeping the average residential impact at 5.5%, we’re working hard to minimize the burden on households while ensuring Norfolk County remains resilient and prepared for the future and continues to deliver quality services residents rely on.” 

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