Lengthy deliberations result in 3.77% county tax increase

Northumberland County Administration Building. Courtesy of Northumberland County.

By Cecilia Nasmith

A highlight of this week's Northumberland County council meeting was approval of the draft 2026 budget with an increase of 3.77%.

The $82.8-million budget should amount to an estimated $61.43 increase on the county portion of the tax bill for a median-assessed homeowner in Northumberland County.

The draft will proceed to the next county council meeting on Dec. 17 for final approval.

Warden Brian Ostrander did note before the vote was taken that this was achieved in part by abandoning two innovations of recent years – the 1% dedicated infrastructure levy and the 1% dedicated housing levy. Ostrander asked council if they wanted to reconsider and reinstate those two levies, but none of the councillors expressed an interest.

The press release announcing the budget news said it “reflects a pragmatic, needs-based approach to governance in response to ongoing financial pressures facing both the municipality and residents.”

The focus, he said, was on “near-term stability, affordability, and essential service continuity during a period of high costs and economic uncertainty.

“This year’s budget is about managing short-term pressures responsibly - holding the line on spending, preserving core services and minimizing the tax levy increase. While it does not include new initiatives or long-term investments, it reflects intentional decisions rooted in fiscal responsibility.”

Earlier this year, Council directed staff to revisit the 2026 budget forecast to identify opportunities for cost savings and operational efficiencies. Council approved a series of adjustments – reducing project costs by scaling back some planned operational expansions and deferring capital infrastructure investments – to achieve at a 3.77% levy increase.

While Ostrander termed these decisions difficult but necessary, he expressed confidence that the final draft “allowed us to maintain the programs residents rely on, while mitigating significant financial strain on local households.

“For 2026, we are committed to ensuring that we can continue to deliver core services effectively in the near term.”

Staff will continue to monitor fiscal pressures, evaluate long-term needs, and identify future opportunities to reintroduce growth-enabling investments as conditions improve.

Updated budget documents incorporating 2026 revisions will be available at Northumberland.ca/Budget in January.