Wilmot set to discuss 2026 budget, eyeing a 9.7 per cent tax increase
Posted Jan 28, 2026 04:13:37 PM.
Last Updated Jan 29, 2026 10:16:19 AM.
Budget discussions continue in Waterloo Region as the mayor of Wilmot is set to present her budget for 2026 to council and the public on Thursday evening.
Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen is using Strong Mayor powers to provide the legislative framework for the process, and is presenting a budget with a total operating expenditure of just over $18 million and a property tax increase of 9.7 per cent.
That number is half the increase residents experienced in the 2025 budget, after a more-than 50 per cent tax jump was initially presented, then poked, prodded, and whittled down to a rise of 18.2 per cent.
“Throughout its development, assumptions were tested, past practices were examined, and future risks were considered deliberately,” said Salonen in her message attached to the budget presentation. “The objective was not simply to balance a single year, but to place the Township on a stronger and more sustainable footing over the long term. Where investments are proposed, they are directly tied to maintaining essential services, managing risk responsibly, and using public resources with purpose and restraint.”
To obtain independent financial insight in this process, Wilmot hired KPMG Canada. Salonen noted that KPMG’s services were “instrumental in supporting the budget process.”
At Thursday’s meeting, council and residents will have an opportunity to ask questions about the finer details of the budget. Council will then have until Feb. 5 to present any amendments they would wish to request.
The meeting gets underway at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 29.
The budget is set to be finalized on Feb. 9.
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