Fort Erie Town Council Approves 2026 Budget

On January 28, 2026, the Fort Erie Town Council approved the budget for 2026. This budget includes a 3.50% increase in the Town's portion of the residential property tax for the median household. This increase will add about $4.54 to the monthly tax bill.

The combined increase for residential taxpayers in Fort Erie is $13.65 per month when we include the draft levies from Niagara Region and the Boards of Education.

Town spending follows the priorities set by the Council in the 2023-2026 Corporate Strategic Plan. These priorities are:

• Sustainable, Reliable Access to Local Health Care;
• Quality of Life and Community Well-Being;
• Sustainable and Managed Growth;
• Economic Prosperity and Diversification;
• Environmental and Climate Change Resiliency; and,
• Comprehensive Housing Options.

The 2026 budget will focus on investing in:

• infrastructure and construction investments;
• parks and recreation spaces;
• trees, natural heritage and environmental assets;
• resident customer service;
• technology innovation, modernization and cybersecurity; and,
• other key projects and initiatives supporting long-term growth.

Town Council remains focused on adopting a budget that addresses both affordability for our residents and sustainability of municipal operations. Town and agency staff put a great deal of work into preliminary budget estimates, in consultation with Council members, before the various budgets (capital, operations, water and wastewater) are presented to Council for approval at public meetings. This year, increasing financial pressures on residents and businesses were top of mind for Council, which directed staff to bring a budget with no more than a 3.5% increase.
This year’s budget increase reflects past practice of allocating specific funding for municipal infrastructure, something to which Fort Erie has been committed since 2012, long before other municipalities made a similar commitment and at a level far greater than most. This builds on Council’s commitment to ensure that our infrastructure (roads, water and wastewater mains, parks, bridges and culverts, storm system, facilities, vehicles and equipment) meets the needs of our residents and provides a competitive edge for our businesses.”
- Fort Erie Mayor, Wayne Redekop

The Operating Budget of $38,954,000 funds essential services for the Town. It focuses on the cost to deliver these services, ongoing maintenance of assets, and administrative functions. Some of these costs are covered by non-tax revenues,  helping to reduce the overall impact on property taxpayers. 

The 2026 Operating Budget includes one-time requests that are covered by funds from strategic rate stabilization reserves:

• $500,000 – Coal Docks grant;
• $250,000 – Urban Ditching Master Plan;
• $150,000 – Rural Ditching Master Plan update; and,
• $125,000 – Fire prevention leadership and development consultants.

“The 2026 Budget balances many short and long-term financial strategies to meet community needs. It includes a strong capital renewal program that supports residents’ daily lives while adapting to economic pressures, including reduced interest rates and development-related revenues, as well as significant new provincial legislative compliance costs. The budget avoids adding new staff positions and uses over $1.7 million from Town reserves to help keep tax increases lower.” 
- Jonathan Janzen, Director of Corporate Services.

In addition to the Operating Budget, Town Council approved the 2026 Capital Budget and the 2027 to 2036 Forecast. The Capital Budget includes 62 projects with a total cost of $23,845,300. It features significant investments in trenchless repair, watermain replacements, road resurfacing, and repairs to bridges and culverts. There are also investments for parks, such as the development of Ridgeway Shores Park and the Crystal Beach East Neighbourhood Park. Some of the larger Capital projects include:

• Watermain replacements across multiple neighbourhoods;
• 2026 Road Resurfacing program;
• Bridge and culvert rehabilitation; and,
• Park development and improvements (e.g., Ridgeway Shores Park, Crystal Beach East Neighbourhood Park).

On December 03, 2025, the Town Council approved Fort Erie’s 2026 Water and Wastewater Budget for $27,192,560. This budget supports high standards of service delivery at a cost increase of 4.98 percent, or $7.66 per month ($92 per year), for the median household. 

For more information about the Town’s 2026 Budget, please visit the Town’s Let’s Talk Engagement Page, or call Town Hall at 905-871-1600.