Kitchener mayor to present 2026 budget, property tax increase to council

Mayor Berry Vrbanovic is set to present the 2026 city budget to council, with its extra $117 per year for an average household.

Monday afternoon’s special council meeting is the next stage in approving next year’s budget, which has been available to the public and councillors for weeks now.

The budget’s projected increases come from a 2.2 per cent property tax increase and a 6.3 per cent increase for water utilities.

As for the dollar amounts in the operating budget, Kitchener would be spending:

• $635-million expenditures in total (i.e. tax-supported and enterprises)
• $310-million expenditures excluding enterprises (i.e. tax supported)

In the capital budget (roads, facilities, equipment, etc.), Kitchener is looking at spending $201 million in the first year. For the ten-year forecast, $1.8-billion.

After Monday, the budget goes through council amendments next Dec. 8.

Three days after that, council and the mayor will work through their vetoes on amendments.

Then the budget will be automatically adopted on Dec. 26.