Thanks For Your Interest In Kitchener's 2026 Budget.

The 2026 Budget Theme Is:

Affordable Today, Ready For Tomorrow
KEY BUDGET DATES
November 14- Staff Tabled Draft Budget 

November 24 -  Finance Committee Meeting – Operating Budget &  Capital Budget ​
Agenda & Watch Link HERE
OPERATING BUDGET PRESENTATION HERE
CAPITAL BUDGET PRESENTATION HERE
See Kitchener's 2026 - 2035 Capital Projects HERE​

NOVEMBER 24 - PUBLIC INPUT NIGHT - 6pm to 8:30pm - Agenda & Watch Link HERE

MONDAY DECEMBER 1 - Mayor's  Budget Proposal
 Council Can Provide Proposed Amendments In Writing To Clerks*
​Agenda And Watch Live Link HERE
​
Documents and Reports For December 1 Meeting
Click On Title To View
PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET
BUDGET SUMMARY AND APPENDICES
2026 PROPOSED BUDGET RESOLUTION
MAYOR VRBANOVIC'S BUDGET MESSAGE

​December 11 - Council Votes on Amendments. Mayor Decides On Amendments   HERE

Share Your Thoughts With All Council Members On The 2026 Budget HERE
For the average home in Kitchener, the proposed rate increases for the 2026 budget are:

Property Taxes: 2.2% or $29 annually
This is in line with inflation, maintains current service levels and includes operating costs for the new Cowan Indoor Recreation Centre opening in 2026.

Water Utility: 4.9% or $24 annually
Sanitary Sewer Utility: 7% or $45 annually
Stormwater Utility: 7.4% or $19 annually

Our 2026 budget represents a combined annual increase of $117 for the average household, based on the average assessed value of $326,000 and annual water consumption of 170m3.

There Are 2 Parts To The Budget

Operating Budget 

To Fund The Approximate 50 Services The City Delivers Every Day
Learn More HERE

Capital Budget 

Funding Projects Over The Coming & The Next 10 Years. Things Like:
Road Reconstruction, Park & Trail Improvements & Additions, Watermain, Stormwater & Sanitary Projects, Tree Planting, Sidewalk Repairs, Maintaining Our Facilities, Soccer & Baseball Fields & Arenas

Based On Implementing The 2023-26 Strategic Plan Themes

Building a Connected City Together
Cultivating a Green City Together
Creating an Economically Thriving City Together
Fostering a Caring City Together
Stewarding a Better City Together

The operating budget allows for the efficient delivery of around 50 programs and services, some examples listed below
Capital Budget Allocations
Capital Budget Priorities
There is 1 Million Dollars For Council To Allocate To Advance Community and Council Priorities.

The Current Options Include Providing Funding For:

Improvements To Park Amenities & Recreation
Supporting Our Special Events And Purchasing Items We Must Rent For Every Event
Business Attraction and Retention
Continuing With The Pitch Kitchener Program Which Supports Local

Council can mix the allocation of funds between these options

Read The Details HERE
​The 2026 Budget Summary Is HERE

Kitchener's 2026 Budget Information Page Is HERE

Give Your Budget Input & Take The Survey HERE
​
You can share your ideas, thoughts, concerns and suggestions for the 2026 Budget

My email is [email protected]
​To email all members of council at the same time, [email protected]
You can mail council at
Office of the Mayor and Council
Kitchener City Hall
200 King St. W.
Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7
How Kitchener's Tax Levy Compares To Other Municipalities
THERE ARE 3 COMPONENTS TO YOUR TAX BILL

​Kitchener Collects The Taxes For The City, Region Of Waterloo & School Boards.
Each Set Their Own Budget

Kitchener Council ONLY Controls Kitchener's Budget

The Tax Bill Receive Contains All 3 Portion Amounts

Understanding Your  City Of Kitchener Tax Bill Information HERE
SEE YOUR PERSONAL TAX BILL CALCULATION BREAKDOWN
SHOWING WHAT YOU PAY TO THE CITY, REGION AND SCHOOL BOARD
ENTER YOUR ADDRESS OR TAX BILL ROLL NUMBER HERE
​Here's What Your Tax Bill Contains

​30% - Kitchener's Share - Your Municipal Taxes ​


Municipal taxes pay for services that make Kitchener a great place to live, work and play.
The tax rate to cover the cost of supplying Kitchener's services is based on the adoption of our annual budget.
Revenues from provincial grants, user fees and other sources are deducted from the total expenditures.
The final amount needs to be raised through taxation. 
Kitchener's portion of your tax bill is 30%

SEE THE VALUE OF SERVICES THAT 30% OF YOUR BILL PROVIDES HERE
59% - Region Of Waterloo's Share - Your Regional Taxes 

These taxes are based on the tax rate adopted by the Region of Waterloo.
This portion is remitted to the Region to support their role in supplying various services including public transit, waste management, policing, housing and shelter and public health and emergency services.
The Region's portion of your tax bill is 58%
​
The Region Of Waterloo's 2026 Budget information is HERE
11% Public & Catholic School Board Share - Your Education Taxes

This tax rate is set by the Province of Ontario and remitted to the local school board you support.
​The School Board portion of your tax bill is 12%
The Image Below Illustrates Your Tax Bill Breakdown
Click On The Boxes Below For These Specific Budget Sections
In 2023, the Province passed the Strong Mayors Act.
Before that, City Finance staff would propose a budget and present it to Council for debate and approval.
Now, the Mayor proposes the budget which could be automatically adopted after 30 days unless amended by Council. Mayor Vrbanovic is committed to working collaboratively with council in creating our budget.
The 2026 budget timetable follows the Strong Mayors legislation, & fits the City’s traditional budget calendar.
It allows Council debate and participate and sees Kitchener’s budget passed before the end of the year.

This has changed the way the budget process works. For the details on how, click HERE

The Consumer Price Index and the Rate Of Inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is one of the most widely used measures of inflation. 
There are 8 components in the CPI basket that represent the changes in prices paid by Canadian consumers. Those components are the costs for Food, Shelter, Household Operations, Furnishings & Equipment, Clothing and Footwear, Transportation, Health & Personal Care, Recreation, Education & Reading, and Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco Products & Cannabis. 
City Budget increase percentages are often compared to the rate of inflation.
Because the rate of inflation can fluctuate greatly between some years, the City Of Kitchener uses an average rate of inflation percentage from the past 2 years to establish the base rate to judge our budget increases against. 
To be clear though, much of what the city needs to purchase to run the services we provide for citizens are much different than the 8 components that make up the consumer price index and rate of inflation. 
​Learn about the Consumer Price Index  HERE
For a Summary Of Past Budgets from 2015 to 2025, click ​HERE