City Council completes 2026 Budget with key investments in the services and infrastructure residents rely on

Earlier today at a Special Meeting of Council, Burlington City Council concluded the City’s 2026 Budget process. The 2026 budget is focused on investments in the services and infrastructure that support a vibrant, high quality of life.

Property tax increase

The completed City of Burlington 2026 Budget includes a 5.80% increase in the City’s budget.

With the most recent proposed tax figures from Halton Region, Burlington’s completed budget 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% increase is an additional $43.68 in property taxes for every $100,000 of residential current value assessment.

Key investment priorities

Key investments in the 2026 Budget include:

  • Resilient infrastructure – $106.1M 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 $7.9M 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


A copy of the completed 2026 Budget will be available online at burlington.ca/budget after Halton Region and the City of Burlington finalize their respective tax levy bylaws in 2026.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback throughout the budget process and helped shape the 2026 Budget.

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