Shaping and approving the annual operating and capital budgets is one of the most important tasks undertaken by a municipal council each year, and with the 2026 budgets now adopted, Meaford’s council can now shift their focus to the many issues facing the municipality.
The entire budget process went very smoothly this year, and given the transition to the Strong Mayor budgeting methods, municipal staff and members of council should be applauded for how it was handled from beginning to end.
All documents were released in good time, the budget presentations were easy to follow, and council managed to find ways to lower the required levy increase, which is not as easy as some might think. Take for example the reality that one of the municipality’s largest costs, policing, saw an 11 percent increase from the OPP for 2026. That one increase from the OPP alone, an increase over which council has no control, requires a 1.19 percent increase on the levy. So with a 3.35 percent levy increase in 2026, the increased cost of policing accounts for a third of that increase.
The 3.35 percent levy increase is less than the 6.86 percent increase that Meaford ratepayers saw last year (5.29 blended), and for that many will be pleased.
The 2026 budget includes 60 capital projects for the coming year, including the major (and costly) reconstruction of Trowbridge Street, development of a parking lot at 28 Nelson Street, and the long overdue dredging of the inner harbour, which is expected to cost roughly $500,000. The budget also includes nearly half a million dollars for rural gravel road maintenance, and council also approved an additional $250,000 for rural ditch maintenance this year.
Also included in the 2026 budget is funding for the grooming of Meaford’s section of the Georgian Trail, something that has been done by Collingwood and the Blue Mountains for several years, and has been requested by Meaford residents each budget season for the past half dozen years. This year will also be the year for the replacement of the splash pad at McCarroll Park, and for a $154,000 rehabilitation of the Bognor Park entrance.
With the final budget of this term of council now adopted, the focus returns to the many issues that are of importance to residents of the municipality.
The pumped storage proposal will continue to be front and centre for council as this term winds down.
If the proposal ultimately moves forward, this municipality will be in for several frustrating years with hundreds of large trucks and other heavy equipment on our roads each day, an influx of 1,800 workers into our municipality who will need to be housed, have places to shop, and classrooms for their children. These sorts of challenges have not been faced by this community in recent history, and like it or not, we will most certainly need to ensure that we are prepared for whatever this project might bring our way.
Roads and bridges are often a hot topic in the council chamber, and though this year’s budget, like all budgets before, includes millions of dollars for road and bridge maintenance and repair, it is never enough. And as always there will be complaints from residents about specific roads or bridges over the coming year.
Development proposals are often another hot topic in the council chamber, and they will continue to be for the remainder of this term of council, and into the next. With any new development proposal there will be residents who express concerns, some big, some small, but all deserving of discussion in the council chamber. This community is growing, and it is up to the residents of this municipality to help shape how that development happens. And if you think that this municipality isn’t growing, consider that just a few years after having built the ‘super school’ to replace the two elementary and one high school that previously existed in this municipality, the school board is now exploring the need to build another new school.
With eight months remaining before election day, it is clear that both the pumped storage proposal and concerns about new developments will both be prime issues for voters as they assess the candidates who opt to run for a seat on council this year.
By summertime the council candidates will have their campaigns in full swing, and they will be knocking on doors hoping to secure your vote on October 26.
As with each municipal election year, I am very much looking forward to seeing how many candidates decide to run for council this year, and who they will be. With major issues pressing on the minds of local residents like the pumped storage proposal, this could be a year of many candidates, and that is a good thing for a healthy democracy.
My hope is that we see a slate of candidates that have done their homework, and who have a full understanding of the role of council and the job of councillor. My hope is that we see candidates who are driven by a love and passion for their municipality, all areas of it, rural and urban, and who are up to the task of guiding this municipality through what will almost certainly be a challenging four years. My hope is that we have a roster of candidates to consider, who reflect our community well. Municipal councils can be the domain of old guys like me, but as is noted each year, it would be nice to see some younger candidates, candidates with young families included in the mix. My hope is that we don’t have candidates that are focused on just one issue, but rather are ready to take on all that the job of councillor brings.
As mentioned, election day is still eight months away, so there is still much for this current term of council to do before we find ourselves in the heart of campaign season this summer.
So we have a very busy year ahead, and by the end of it we will have elected and installed a new council that will represent our interests for the coming four years.
