On December 10th, 2025, our Halton Regional Council approved the 2026 budget. With both Burlington…
Continue Reading What will our June 2026 tax bill look like?
If you are older than sixty-five, you may remember a popular song from the 1970s…
The City of Burlington posts “Council Information” packages to the city’s website. These packages are…
First, we’d like to thank the city for the responses to our questions. What is…
Burlington’s 2026 Budget includes $4.2 million for three new 40-foot buses, $95,000 a year, every…
Thank you to the 222 people who participated in our survey. This is a summary of what we learned.
Continue Reading Focus Burlington’s 2026 Budget Survey Results
Increases to salaries & benefits will use over 57% of the tax increase.
We took a look at Burlington’s 2026 budget. The average salary increase for full-time employees is 5.17%. The average salary, before benefits, will be $106,556.35.
Continue Reading Opinion – Burlington’s 2026 Budget: Where is the money going?
The city will be releasing a detailed 2026 budget on October 24th, 2025, and our…
Focus Burlington is a group of volunteers dedicated to promoting a safe, secure, and sustainable…
Continue Reading Opinion – Fact Checking the Budget Town Hall Meetings!
Focus Burlington, a group of volunteers, we took a look at the 2026 Budget Blueprint…
Continue Reading Opinion – Burlington’s 2026 Budget Blueprint
Why are Burlington Taxpayers being hit with a $3.8 million tax increase for Alton West?…
Please complete the Focus Burlington Budget survey linked at the bottom of this post. The…
Every year in August, the City of Burlington mails us a copy of the “City…
Gardening has been shown to improve the mental health and wellness of gardeners. Many Burlington…
Many municipalities across Canada contribute to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), including Burlington and…
Continue Reading What is the Federation of Canadian Municipalities?
In Ontario, rent controls are applied to buildings occupied before November 15, 2018. Ontario has…
Continue Reading Are property tax increases also rent increases?
$35,000 a year to provide homeowners with funds to host neighbourhood parties through something called…
Burlington is a great place to live, but like many other communities, there are pressures…
Continue Reading Opinion – Engagement and Transparency – Burlington’s 2026 Budget Process.
Keep 5.8% in mind. This is how the city is positioning the increase “Burlington’s portion…
Let’s start with the bill from the city. The tax bill has four components, each…
Continue Reading Why are property taxes in Burlington so complicated?
This article was updated on May 12, 2025: Burlington has added a section titled “Schedule…
The Bay Observer recently published two articles on the budget process in Hamilton: Five Hamilton…
Continue Reading Hamilton Councillors Revolt over 2025 Budget Process
Dan Chapman addresses Burlington City council on proposed 2024 property tax increase of 10.21%. Lisa…
Continue Reading Property Tax Delegation on the 2024 Budget Increase
Many Burlington residents are concerned with the high tax increases imposed by the current city…
Continue Reading What will happen with a zero percent tax increase? “The sky will fall”.
Burlington has spent approximately $1,400,000 to install 29 EV charging stations, and the 2025 budget…
Continue Reading The most per-capita EV chargers in the GTA – but …
This is the text from a delegation I made to our city council. Good morning…
Continue Reading Tax Petition is presented to council “oh well”
Here’s a quick history of this project. 2017 – the Board of Education considers closing…
Continue Reading The Bay Observer questions how council handled the Bateman community centre.
Introduction The consultations have ended, the delegations have finished, the decisions have been reached, and…
Here are some of the key dates from the Burlington GetInvolved website (https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/2025budget) Mid-September -…
Continue Reading 2025 Budget Process: Burlington vs Oakville