Alton West and $3.8 Million dollars

Why are Burlington Taxpayers being hit with a $3.8 million tax increase for Alton West?

During the September 18^th, 2025, Ward 6 budget town hall, the mayor stated that one of the pressures on this year’s budget is “maintenance services for the Alton West neighbourhood, which is being built as we speak.”

Google Maps shows us how the development is proceeding in this area, with Alton West being fully developed. Housing construction is taking place on the eastern side of the Alton community.

The total amount of property tax revenue collected by Burlington in 2025 was $264,329,000. A 1.47% increase in property taxes equates to $3,885,636. The city is choosing to build this increase into the tax base, meaning an additional $3,885,636 will be collected every year, and next year’s 4 to 6% tax increase will be applied to this amount, and the following year’s increase, and on and on.

Alton West is in Ward 6, so I checked with the councillor for Ward 6, and learned that Alton West is bordered by Walkers Line, Dundas St, and Palladium Way. A very quick count of the roofs shows about 300 homes. The city-wide property tax increase raises $3,885,636, spread that over 300 homes, calculator app to the rescue, that’s $12,952 per home a year.

All we have at this point are questions:

What is all this money for?

People moved into completed homes in Alton West 6 or 7 years ago. The city has been collecting property taxes on those homes, but where is that property tax money?

If there is a huge one-time expense related to Alton West, should this be a special levy, or should the city be suing the developer?

Is there a problem with the budget blueprint?

Is there a problem in Alton West?

If every new subdivision, with 300 homes, requires a 1.47% increase in taxes across the entire city, how long will it be before no one can afford property taxes in Burlington?