Dufferin County Council has approved Dufferin County’s 2026 Budget.

The 2026 Budget maintains essential County services and programs, supports priority initiatives under the County’s Strategic Plan, and introduces some items that will allow the County to invest in the community’s future.

The Budget reflects the County’s commitment to moving its Strategic Plan forward while prioritizing financial sustainability and addressing ongoing cost increases. With the 2026 Budget, the County will continue to work to achieve important Plan objectives while keeping fiscal responsibility top of mind and mitigating the financial impact on Dufferin taxpayers.

Key highlights in the 2026 Budget include:

• Supporting the Health and Human Services Hub
• New Operations Centre design and construction
• Housing Strategy implementation
• Shelburne Bypass contribution
• Road Safety Master Plan

Dufferin County Budget by the numbers

• The total tax levy to support the delivery of services is $52,705,255
• The approved 2026 Budget will result in a net taxpayer impact of 3.88 per cent after growth on the County’s portion of the tax bill, or an increase of $16.20 per $100,000 of assessment based on MPAC’s 2016 assessment of a property
• The levy includes a $7,910,244 capital investment towards the purchase or replacement of assets, strengthening the County’s financial position and preparing for future contingencies and operating, capital and special initiatives

Arriving at the levy
The tax levy is the amount of money required to be raised from property taxes to fund the business of the County after applying all other sources of revenue, including internal transfers from reserves on hand. In Ontario, municipalities must approve a balanced budget. The tax levy, plus all other sources of revenue, must equal the total estimated expenses.

• Balanced budget: expenditures=revenues
• Tax levy required: projected expenditures–projected revenue

More information on the County’s 2026 Budget, including County divisional overviews and Budget highlights, can be found at www.dufferincounty.ca.

“Similar to municipalities across Ontario and Canada and in other levels of government, Dufferin County is being faced with the challenge of balancing ambitious strategic objectives with fiscal responsibility. The approved 2026 Budget is a result of the collaborative effort of County Council and staff from across the organization. It will allow us to continue to support Dufferin County as we address housing and homelessness, health, community safety and more, while keeping financial sustainability top of mind.”

-Lisa Post, Warden, Dufferin County

“Dufferin County’s approved 2026 Budget represents our planned work over the next year. It highlights the key initiatives that will support our strategic direction, and outlines some of the challenges that are impacting our organization as we continue to move our priorities forward. With a strong focus on mitigating the financial impact for our taxpayers, we will continue to invest in Dufferin’s future and provide the services and programs that our community members rely on.”

-Sonya Pritchard, Chief Administrative Officer, Dufferin County

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Megan Ball, Manager of Communications

mball@dufferincounty.ca