Northumberland County council
Northumberland County council has approved its draft 2026 budget, moving the financial plan one step closer to final adoption as the region continues to navigate economic uncertainty and rising operating costs.
The plan proposes a base levy of $82.8M, representing a 3.77% increase after growth. For the median assessed homeowner in Northumberland, that translates to an estimated $61.43 increase on the County portion of the property tax bill. The figure may change once 2026 tax policy updates and MPAC assessments are finalized.
Council says the restrained levy was achieved through a combination of reserve use and targeted adjustments to the multi-year budget introduced last term. These adjustments included scaling back previously planned operational expansions and deferring certain capital infrastructure investments. The approach, they say, is designed to maintain essential services while limiting the burden on households already facing higher costs of living.
Warden Brian Ostrander emphasized that the budget focuses on short-term stability rather than new initiatives or long-term growth projects. The priority, he said, is preserving programs residents rely on while making fiscally responsible decisions during a period of sustained financial pressure.
Earlier this year, Council directed staff to revisit the 2026 forecast to identify efficiencies and opportunities to reduce the levy. The resulting changes form the foundation of the updated draft approved this week.
While major expansions are not part of the 2026 plan, staff will continue monitoring long-term needs and evaluating when conditions might allow a return to growth-enabling investments in future budgets.
Updated budget documents, reflecting all 2026 revisions, will be published at Northumberland.ca/Budget in January.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
