2026 Budget

The Township of Georgian Bay is pleased to announce the 2026 Operating and Capital Budget was approved on December 1, 2025.

For a home in Georgian Bay assessed at $538,000, the Mayor's Approved Budget amounts to $152.98 or a 9.61% increase over 2025. When combined with the Education Levy (assumed) and the District of Muskoka Levy (forecasted), the blended tax increase equates to a $157.67 or 3.39% blended tax increase over 2025.

The operating budget addresses the day-to-day cost of providing services to residents and businesses. The capital budget looks ahead to identify the infrastructure that we need to build and maintain.

For a summarized breakdown, please see the 2026 Approved Budget Executive Summary.

 

2026 Budget Details

2026 Budget Documents
2026 Budget Timeline and Reports
DateItemDocumentsMeeting
July 7, 2025 Council Reviewed 2026 Budget Timelines View Meeting
November 3, 2025 Draft Budget Tabled  View Meeting
November 25, 2025 Boards and Agency Presentations  View Meeting
November 26, 2025 Draft Budget Public Deliberations  View Meeting
December 1, 2025 Budget Adoption/Approval View Meeting 
2026 Approved Budget Summary
The Township’s 2026 Approved Budget gross expenditures totals $20.3 million:
  • $15.0 million in operating expenditures
  • $  1.3 million in carry forward capital projects
  • $  3.6 million in new capital requests
  • $  0.4 million in contributions to capital reserves

Gross expenditures are greater than gross revenues by $961,799, resulting in a municipal tax increase of 9.61% over 2025.

 

For a summarized breakdown, please see the 2026 Approved Budget Executive Summary.

 
2026 Approved Operating Budget Changes

The 2026 Approved Budget includes operating expenditures in the amount of $15.0M. 

Proposed changes to the budget include:

 

Operating Budget Changes

FTE

$

Other

$

Funding

$

Net Tax

Impact

$

Net Tax

Impact

%

Budget Adjustments:          
Operating Base Budget       339,880 3.22%
Capital Base Budget       324,846 3.08%
Subtotal: Budget Adjustments       $664,726 6.30%
           
Township Service Enhancements:          
Council Remuneration Update   31,011   31,011 0.35
Clerk's Administration Assistant -
1-Year Contract		 78,665     78,665 0.88
Food Bank Coordinator - 0.2 FTE 9,911     9,911 0.11
Volunteer Firefighters Clothing Allowance    9,000 (4,000)  5,000 0.06
Deputy Chief Building Official Increase FTE (0.6 to 1.0) 55,245    (55,245) - -
Recreation Coordinator - 1.0 FTE 83,792      83,792 0.93
Water Quality Program Increase   135,000 (100,000) 35,000 0.39
Library Board: Increase to Salaries/Benefits and General Operating   28,299   28,299 0.31
Sustainable Severn Sound   395   395 0.00
Library Additional Programming   25,000    25,000  0.28 
Subtotal: Service Enhancements $227,613 $228,705 $(159,245) $297,073 3.31%
           
Total: 2026 Approved Operating Budget Increase $961,799 9.61%

2026 Approved Capital Budget Changes

The 2026 approved capital budget request totals $5.3M:

  • $  1.3 million in carry forward capital projects
  • $  3.6 million in new capital requests
  • $  0.4 million in contributions to capital reserves

 

For a breakdown, please review the 2026 Approved Capital Budget Details.

2026 Approved Budget - Impact on Ratepayer

For a home in Georgian Bay assessed at $538,000 the increase will be:

 

 2025 ($)2026 ($)Change ($)Change (%)
Township of Georgian Bay 1,592.37 1,745.35 152.98 9.61%
District Municipality of Muskoka 2,235.50 2,240.19 4.69

0.21%
Education 823.14 823.14 - -
Total $4,651.01 $4,808.68 $157.67 3.39%

 

Impact per $100,000 of assessment:

 

 2025 ($)2026 ($)Change ($)Change (%)
Township of Georgian Bay 295.98 324.42 28.44 9.61%
District Municipality of Muskoka 415.52 416.39 0.87 0.21%
Education 153.00 153.00 - -
Total $864.50 $893.81 $29.31

3.39%

 

The 2026 approved budget increase is a 9.61% tax increase over 2025. When combined with the District Municipality of Muskoka forecasted tax increase of 0.21% and assuming no change to the education rate, residents can expect to see a 3.39% blended tax increase on their 2026 property tax bill.

For every tax dollar spent:

  • $0.36 is retained by the Township of Georgian Bay
  • $0.47 is submitted to the District Municipality of Muskoka
  • $0.17 is submitted for Education

District Municipality of Muskoka Budget

The District Municipality of Muskoka 2026 Updated Budget Forecast

2025 Approved Budget

The Township of Georgian Bay is pleased to announce the 2025 Operating and Capital Budget was approved on December 9, 2024.

2025 Budget Documents
2025 Budget Timeline
DateItemDocumentsMeeting
August 12, 2024 Council Reviewed 2025 Budget Timelines View Meeting
November 4, 2024 Draft Budget Tabled  View Meeting
November 19, 2024 Agencies, Boards & Committees Presentation  View Meeting
November 26, 2024 Budget Deliberation Meetings  View Meeting
December 9, 2024  Budget Approved View Meeting
 Approved Budget Summary
 The Township’s 2025 approved consolidated budget totals $20.8 million:
  • $14.3 million in operating expenditures
  • $  2.1 million in carry forward capital projects from 2024
  • $  4.4 million in new capital requests

Gross expenditures are greater than gross revenues by $801,204, resulting in a municipal tax increase of 8.44% over 2024.

This includes Council Directed and Re-Aligned budget items, as well as Service Enhancements.
 Operating Budget Changes

 The 2025 approved budget includes operating expenditures in the amount of $14.3M. 

Changes to the budget include:

 

Operating Budget Changes

FTE

$

Other

$

Funding

$

Net Tax

Impact

$

Net Tax

Impact

%

Budget Adjustments:          
Base Budget       361,807 3.09%
Council Directed and Re-Aligned       153,050 1.86%
Subtotal: Budget Adjustments       $514,857 4.95%
           
Service Enhancements:          
Water Quality Testing Program   75,000   75,000 0.91
IT Technician & CRM Specialist - 1.0 FTE 70,596   (30,000) 40,596 0.49
Operations Equipment Operator - 1.0 FTE 80,463     80,463 0.98
Recreation Equipment Operator - 1.0 FTE 80,463     80,463 0.98
Municipal Accommodation Tax Revenue   40,000 (80,000) (40,000) (0.49)
MacTier Arena: Roller Skating Days   20,000   20,000 0.24
MacTier: Recreation Masterplan   20,000 (20,000) - -
Library Board   55,501 (30,000) 25,501 0.31
Core Operations & Sustainable Severn Sound   4,324   4,324 0.05
Subtotal: Service Enhancements $231,522 $214,825 $(160,000) $286,347 3.49%
           
Total: 2025 Approved Operating Budget Increase       $801,204 8.44%

 
 Capital Budget Changes

 The 2025 approved capital budget request totals $6.5M:

  • $  2.1 million in carry forward capital projects from 2024
  • $  4.4 million in new capital requests

2025 Approved Annual Capital Budget
Impact on Ratepayer

For the average water detached property assessed at $453,000 the increase will be:

 

 2024 ($)2025 ($)Change ($)Change (%)
Township of Georgian Bay 1,236.38 1,340.79 104.41 8.44%
District Municipality of Muskoka 1,808.96 1,882.31 73.35 4.05%
Education 693.09 693.09 - -
Total $3,738.43 $3,916.19 $177.76 4.75%

 

Impact per $100,000 of assessment:

 

 2024 ($)2025 ($)Change ($)Change (%)
Township of Georgian Bay 272.93 295.98 23.05 8.44%
District Municipality of Muskoka 399.33 415.52 16.19 4.05%
Education 153.00 153.00 - -
Total $825.26 $864.50 $39.24 4.75%

 

The Township's budget was approved with a 8.44% tax increase over 2024. When combined with the District Municipality of Muskoka approved tax increase of 4.05% and no change to the education rate, residents can expect to see a 4.75% blended tax increase on their 2025 property tax bill.

For every tax dollar spent:

  • $0.34 is retained by the Township of Georgian Bay
  • $0.48 is submitted to the District Municipality of Muskoka
  • $0.18 is submitted for Education

 
District Municipality of Muskoka Budget
 The District Municipality of Muskoka 2025 Budget

 

On the Budget

Operating Budget

An operating budget captures the expenses involved to keep the Township running on a day-to-day basis. 

The base operating budget reflects the costs that are required to maintain the existing programs and services.

The total proposed operating budget includes the base budget to maintain existing programs and services, as well as the proposed service enhancements to increase the current level of service provided by the Township.
Service Enhancements

A service enhancement is a request to improve a program or add staff to better meet community needs.

The service enhancement requests provide detailed justifications to Council from departments requesting a change in program direction or new staffing. 
Capital Budget

The capital budget is used to request funding for new assets, major repairs and replacement of existing assets. 

Requests for capital projects to be completed in 2025 will have a justification sheet to ensure clarity and understanding of the capital needs.

 View past Township of Georgian Bay budgets:

Past Budgets

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