Wilmot council to consider passing 2025 budget, proposed 47.2 per cent tax increase

Another budget meeting at the Township of Wilmot is set to take place on Monday, but with plenty of cuts and adjustments left to consider, a decision on the 2025 budget could be pushed further down the line.

Residents are facing a potential 47.2 per cent property tax increase if further cuts to the operating budget for 2025 aren’t made. Monday’s meeting is the last scheduled budget meeting on the council calendar.

The tax hike has decreased by roughly 4 per cent since the last budget meeting on Jan. 16, when the potential increase was just under 51 per cent.

Councillors are looking internally to find some savings. A recommendation on the table would cut cost of living wage increases for township staff in 2025, resulting in a 2 per cent tax rate impact.

A report coming to council with limited detail provides insight into departmental spending and how it varied between 2024 and 2025. The biggest increases in spending came from the Community Services and Water and Wastewater departments, which increased year over year by about $400,000 combined.

A regular council meeting is also scheduled for Monday evening, meaning it will be a long night for those around the Wilmot council table.

**Update: Wilmot Council deferred a final decision on the 2025 Operating Budget until Monday, February 24**