The Township of Huron-Kinloss 2026 Municipal Budget has been finalized and is deemed adopted. This year’s budget balances a commitment to essential infrastructure with a focus on community sustainability, resulting in a 4.00% tax rate increase.
Budget Overview and Impact on Residents:
The 2026 Budget contains $17.3 million in operating expenditures and $13.3 million in
capital expenditures. After revenues and transfers from reserves are applied, the
Township must levy $12,226,003, an increase of $746,968 (6.51%) over the 2025 levy.
While the total levy reflects the rising costs of materials and services, the impact on
individual property owners is moderated by growth in the community’s assessment
base.
For 2026, the municipal tax rate is set at 0.00788320, representing a 4.00% increase over
2025. This means the municipal portion of the tax bill will increase by $30.32 for every
$100,000 of a property’s assessed value. For an average single-family home assessed at
$272,000, this represents an increase of approximately $82.47 per year, or about $1.59
per week.
The province-wide reassessment remains on hold; therefore, property values for the
2026 taxation year continue to be based on 2020 assessments unless property-specific
changes have occurred.
2026 Budget Development Process:
The 2026 cycle marked the Township’s first budget completed under the Strong Mayor
powers established in Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act. These regulations grant Mayors
specific authority regarding budget preparation, timelines, and amendment
requirements.
To ensure the process remained as close to the Township’s traditional collaborative
model as possible, Mayor Don Murray directed Staff to prepare a budget with a tax rate
increase capped at 4.00%.
The Mayor’s draft budget was formally proposed on January 19th and later presented at
the January 26th Budget meeting. The process allowed Council until February 18th to
suggest formal amendments. Throughout this period, the Mayor and Council continued
to collaborate, clarify priorities, and discuss potential changes to support shared
community goals.
During the February 2nd Council meeting, Council engaged in an open forum to explore
community priorities and long-term financial planning. After evaluating proposed
amendments, Council reached a consensus and moved to waive the remainder of the
30-day amendment period. By waiving this period, the budget was deemed adopted as
of February 2nd, ahead of the statutory deadline.
Mayor’s Message and 2026 Investment Priorities:
“We’ve worked hard to deliver a budget that balances the reality of rising costs with the
services our residents rely on every day,” said Mayor Don Murray. “By focusing on the
priorities we heard from the community—like keeping our roads safe, our water clean,
and our fire services strong—we are making the necessary investments to care for
Huron‑Kinloss today while planning responsibly for generations to come.”
The adopted budget supports core municipal services and long-term sustainability,
including:
• Maintaining and improving local roads, bridges, sidewalks, and stormwater
infrastructure
• Upgrading water and wastewater systems to ensure reliable and safe service
delivery
• Supporting fire and emergency services through equipment renewal and safety
improvements
• Investing in community facilities and recreation amenities, including
enhancements at the Ripley‑Huron Community Centre and Point Clark
Community Centre
• Enhancing parks, trails, and public spaces to support accessibility, recreation, and
environmental stewardship
• Advancing long‑term planning for waste management and infrastructure growth,
including landfill capacity planning and master servicing studies
These investments align with resident feedback collected during the Township’s 2026
Budget engagement process and reflect the priorities identified in the Township’s
Sustainability & Strategic Plan.
To learn more about the 2026 Budget, visit the Township’s Budget & Finance webpage.
