Transit, policing, affordability: Local voices speak on 2026 regional budget
Posted Dec 4, 2025 07:16:54 AM.
Last Updated Dec 4, 2025 10:14:19 AM.
Local voices shared their thoughts, concerns, and opinions on where their taxpayer dollars are expected to go in the 2026 budget at a regional council meeting.
There were 21 individuals listed to speak on a wide range of topics tied to the proposed budget.
It included everything from the policing portion of the budget, the overall expected increase of almost 5 per cent for the regional portion, transit, affordability, and more.
Of all the topics, the most heavily spoken of was public transit options, particularly centred around Grand River Transit (GRT).
Of those 21 listed delegates, over half spoke on the benefits of investing in local options, including Damien Mikhail, the President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, who spoke of the boosts it can give students as well as the general community.
“Through these investments, this aspect of residents’ lives has not only gotten easier and cheaper, but by making it easier to choose transit over their cars, we’ve eased the strain on our infrastructure, leading to long-term financial savings for the future and building more walkable, livable neighbourhoods,” Mikhail said.
Some pointed to the already present benefits of investing in local transit through this upcoming budget; others, including Kae Elgie, who lives in Waterloo, spoke about the future implications and potential cost savings that can come with advancing GRT.
She spoke to regional councillors as a whole, but primarily targeted and pitched to councillors who would soon be seeking reelection.
“If we take measures that improve our sustainability, our environment, and reduce climate change, then that will save you money in the long term,” Elgie mentioned. “So, if you’re planning to run again, you’ll be interested in this.”
One delegate approached councillors with a potential pilot program with seniors in mind, saying it would be beneficial to have one day each week set aside as a free ridership day for the region’s elders.
“Transportation is a key driver of health and independence. The Schlegel UW Research Institute for Aging identifies transportation and financial barriers as primary causes of isolation,” said Brian Paul, the Executive Director for Supportive Housing Waterloo. “This pilot removes both. It is proactive, preventive, and rooted in evidence.”
While public transit was one of the most talked about issues regarding the proposed 2026 budget, other concerns also stretched to affordability and the potential implications of the proposed property tax increases through both the regional and policing portions of the budget.
“Our streets and encampments are flooding with hopelessness,” said Cheryl Purcell, a parent living in Waterloo. “My coffee, butter, and protein have, at minimum, doubled since 2020, which was a pivotal year.”
She said more needs to be done to reduce the financial implications that come with increasing property taxes, which she said creates compounding concerns for families alongside inflation.
The regional portion of the budget, delegates spoke to the policing portion, and the proposed $22 million increase.
Mark Egers with the Waterloo Regional Police Association said the benefits of investing further in local policing are clear, saying it’s important to have more personnel walking the streets, not only for the community, but also for active officers.
“Members are left picking up the burden and (face) the effects of being unable to spend time with their families due to excess hours and the inability to access time off from their own banks,” Egers stated. “When we underinvest in policing, our members suffer and as a result, so does the community.”
Much of the discussion centred around what was included in the budget and the impact it would have on Waterloo Region throughout the course of 2026, but one delegate also spoke to a portion that was missing in those numbers: downtown garbage pick-up.
Caleb Jukes with the New Hamburg Board of Trade mentioned that downtown garbage collection had already been approved by regional councillors, but to his concern, they were not included in this year’s budget.
“If that budget cut happens, that we no longer have garbage pick up in the downtown, well, someone else is gonna have to do it, but it’s still going to be the taxpayers. So why not just continue?”
This delegation was the final opportunity for members of the community to voice their concerns to regional councillors. There is still a survey available through the Engage Waterloo Region website for those who weren’t able to attend.
The region is now heading into crunch time as it pushes into December, with less than two weeks to go before councillors are expected to set the 2026 regional budget in stone.
That date is currently slated for Tuesday, Dec. 16.
