Bruce County council has approved the 2026 budget.
At Thursday’s council meeting, staff presented an updated proposal, which included a 4.77% tax levy increase after projected changes from growth within the county.
Items that are still included in the budget that will have an effect on the proposed increase include the 2026 International Plowing Match, the reserve contribution for the expansion to the Bruce County Museum, and one-time costs that are anticipated to be funded by the Tax Stabilization Reserve.
Deputy treasurer Lynn Hatten shared the proposed changes, particularly with changes to childcare expenses and paramedic services.
“When I reviewed these numbers, I looked at the percentage increases, and there’s three factors that you need to think about when you’re talking about maintaining services. The increase also includes growth.”
The other contributing factors to the increase are inflation and contributions to the asset management plan.
The changes from growth fluctuates 1-2%, as shown in previous years.
Staff also provided the impacts associated with hiring five new full-time equivalent employees: a logistics technician for paramedic services, an analyst for the county’s IT team, an on-boarding coordinator for the human resources department, a business integration manager for paramedic services, and a records management coordinator who would work with the CAO’s office.
Councillor Chris Peabody had reservations about hiring for the five new positions, which was shared by other members of the council.
“We need to discuss the additional full-time equivalents that we’re adding,” he said. “It seems to be year-over-year we add more and more. I don’t think I can support adding this many people year-over-year.”
Peabody’s sentiments were echoed by councillors Caleb Hull and Milt McIver.
Three of the FTEs were removed from the list – the on-boarding coordinator, the business integration manager, and the record management coordinator, which brought the overall tax levy increase to 4.37%.
The 2026 capital and operating budget which is the realization of goals set in the 2023-2026 strategic plan and the Indigenous Reconciliation Framework.
The approved budget includes $207 million in expenditures.
Funding of $75.9 million will come from property tax levies, which is a 4.37% increase for 2025.
A proposed 2.5% of that will be dedicated to replacing aging infrastructure.
Key investments will also be made in transportation infrastructure, facilities, long term care and senior services, as well as housing and community development — this includes moving forward with additional community housing on Eastridge Road in Walkerton.
The budget will be adopted on at the council meeting scheduled for December 18th.
Details on the 2026 budget can be found here.
[Editor’s note: this story has been updated to provide further details from a previous version.]