By Adam Frisk
he Municipality of Dysart et al council approved the 2026 budget, with the final property tax increase set at 4.98 per cent, a notable drop from the 5.83 per cent initially proposed in December.
During a special meeting of council on Jan. 9, Mayor Murray Fearrey characterized the budget as a “stand-pat” document designed to maintain existing service levels while avoiding the pitfalls of new debt.
“So [the tax increase] is just under five, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” the mayor said. “To make it palatable, hopefully.”
The budget includes several amendments that reduced the total tax levy requirement by $111,529. For local property owners, this translates to an increase of $17.54 per $100,000 of assessed value. A typical single-family dwelling will see an estimated increase of $40.17, while a median seasonal recreational dwelling will see an increase of approximately $71.04.
The budget focuses on keeping the status quo during a period of economic uncertainty. While no services were cut, several “nice-to-do” capital projects, particularly those involving municipal growth, were sidelined to prevent the need for additional borrowing.
“We’ve not done anything to lessen the service of the municipality,” Fearrey noted during the meeting. “But we’ve had to cut some projects that would be nice to do, especially roads, because if we do them, we’ve just got to borrow the money. If we don’t need to do them now, who knows what the future is?
“I don’t want to leave the next council in a bigger mess than we inherited,” he said.
Key infrastructure priorities that remained in the budget include repairs to local roads, work on Wenona Lake, and the replacement of two “huge” bridges and a pedestrian bridge at Head Lake Park.
The reduction in the tax rate from the initial December proposal was made possible through “fine-tuning” by Treasurer Brayden Robinson and municipal staff. The municipality saved $51,689 in debt servicing costs due to slight delays in the replacement timelines for the Redstone Brook and Barry’s Bay bridges
The increasing cost of provincial policing was a significant factor in the 2026 budget. Total police expenses for the year are budgeted at $2,473,409, representing an increase of $244,418, or about 11 per cent, over 2025.
Council reviewed a detailed breakdown of the Ontario Provincial Police billing to understand the drivers behind this increase. The base cost per property rose to $203.05 for 2026, covering 8,395 properties for a total of $1,704,582. Calls for service were calculated at $763,300, while the municipality was also responsible for $91,070 in overtime costs, $17,462 for prisoner transportation, and $53,056 for accommodation and cleaning services.
Staff identified several areas for cost savings and supplemental revenue to help lower the initial tax burden. Projected landfill haulage costs were slashed by $46,638 after staff revised tonnage increase estimates from 15 per cent down to a more conservative 2.5 per cent. Additionally, a $176,500 reduction was found in the capital budget for final cover at the West Guilford and Kennisis landfills. Council approved increasing tax certificate fees from $50 to $70 to align with neighbouring municipalities, and recognized an additional $5,000 in short-term rental revenue based on 2025 actuals. Minor reductions were also made to recreation wages, benefits, and materials, totalling over $3,200 in savings.
Robinson noted in his report that the forecasted net withdrawal from municipal reserves for the year has been cut by more than half, dropping from $332,555 to $156,055.
Council members praised the transparency of the process, noting that a full line-by-line budget was provided to ensure every dollar was accounted for.
“I think 4.98 per cent is very reasonable in these days and times,” Councillor Barry Boice said.
“Every department has done a great job, sifting through what they can do to keep us efficient and streamlined and financially responsible moving ahead,” Councillor Pat Casey commented.
The 2026 budget was the result of a new legislative process often associated with “Strong Mayor” powers. While council followed the mandated procedure, Fearrey expressed skepticism about its necessity in a small-town context.
“To me, it was the same process. There’s only one way to do the budget, and that’s with the department heads, the staff, and the council,” the mayor said. It’s a process. I don’t like it. I think it didn’t need to happen, but it did. It might work in Toronto, but it doesn’t need to happen in these rural municipalities.”
By waiving the remainder of the amendment period, council officially closed the 2026 budget process, aiming to keep the final result “palatable” for the community.
