Last week, City Council approved the 2026 Budget Directions which included a potential property-tax increase of 3.75 per cent, as well as the following increases:
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Up to 2.9 per cent for Ottawa Public Health and the Ottawa Public Library
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Between 2.9 and 6.5 per cent for the Ottawa Police Service
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A transit fare increase between 2.5 and 7.5 per cent
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A cap of on the total number of Full Time Equivalent positions at the City
I along with several colleagues voted against the 2026 Budget Directions because the proposed tax increase of up to 3.75% lacks a clear plan to show how it will result in meaningful improvements to core services or investments in areas such as infrastructure renewal, road and park maintenance, affordable housing, or overall affordability.
I was also particularly concerned about the proposed transit fare increases of up to 7.5%, which I believe are too high—especially as we work to rebuild ridership and improve service reliability. In response, I put forward a motion to cap the fare increase at 2.9%, in line with other city services. Unfortunately, the motion failed by a vote of 11 to 13.
At a time when many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, I believe any tax or fee increases must be clearly tied to service improvements and support for affordability across our city. There will be additional opportunities to discuss budget priorities and certainly the devil will be in the details once the Draft Budget is presented this fall.
For more information on the 2026 Budget process, visit Engage Ottawa.
