Lakeshore Adopts 2026 Budget

At the meeting on December 4, 2025, Lakeshore Council reviewed and made changes to the Municipality’s 2026 Budget.

During deliberations, Council passed several resolutions designed to save costs and reduce the Budget’s impact on taxpayers. The resolutions lowered the proposed 4 per cent tax rate increase down to 1.76 per cent.

“This year’s deliberations took a line-by-line approach to find opportunities for savings on behalf of taxpayers. Council and I are thrilled to deliver a Budget below the rate of inflation while continuing to invest in our services and our communities,”
- Mayor Tracey Bailey

The Budget deliberation process was Council’s first under Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation. The legislation, introduced by the Government of Ontario in 2022 and expanded to include Lakeshore in 2025, changed how municipalities adopt their annual budgets.

Under the Strong Mayor legislation, Mayors have a 10-day period to veto the changes to the Budget. However, Mayor Bailey has indicated that she would not exercise her authority to veto the changes.

“The steps taken by Council represent the voices of residents throughout Lakeshore’s communities, and I am confident that the Budget represents their collective desire to keep more money in the pockets of our taxpayers,” Mayor Bailey added.

Lakeshore’s digital Budget Application will be updated to reflect the changes in the coming weeks.