On June 24, 2026, MPAC shared a press release titled “More Ontario homes valued under $500,000 as market eases from 2022 peak”. MPAC stands for "Municipal Property Assessment Corporation". How did Burlington Fare? The table below shows the percentage of properties assessed with a value less than $500,000. We can see that in 2016, 39% … Continue reading Opinion – The assessed value of homes for property tax purposes is coming down; will this affect the property taxes we pay?
Opinion – A First Look at Burlington’s 2027 Budget
Take a look at the forecasted Burlington property tax increases for the next five years and consider voting in the October 26th, 2026, election. Voter turnout is always low, and people should be voting for or against these increases. Voting lets our elected representatives know whether they’re on the right track. The Burlington item on … Continue reading Opinion – A First Look at Burlington’s 2027 Budget
Opinion: Tax Clarity or Clever Math?
April showers bring May flowers, but June brings something less pleasant to Burlington mailboxes: the first property tax bill of 2026. Whether you own a home, rent an apartment, or simply shop at local businesses, you are paying property taxes. They are baked into our rent, our groceries, and the price of our morning coffee. … Continue reading Opinion: Tax Clarity or Clever Math?
Opinion – What’s $90 million between friends?
Every year, the City of Burlington releases a budget. We can expect to see the 2027 budget after the October 26, 2026, municipal elections. There is always a lot of debate about the percentage of the tax increase, but what does the increase mean in terms of total tax dollars? One of the more interesting … Continue reading Opinion – What’s $90 million between friends?
Budgets 101 – Operating and Capital
Join the discussion on January 20th at 7 pm - Burlington Lions Club - details: https://www.focusburlington.ca/2026communitydiscussion/ Municipalities in Ontario have long been required to approve two budgets: an operating budget and a capital budget. The province spells out the rules in the Municipal Act. Burlington combines its operating and capital budgets into one document covering … Continue reading Budgets 101 – Operating and Capital
Everything you want to know about municipal reserve funds but were too bored to ask.
Reserve funds are a long-established way for municipalities to manage money. As of September 30th, 2025, Burlington’s reserve funds held $223.5 million, of which $90.2 million is what the city calls committed, meaning the city knows how the money will be spent. Burlington receives money from a variety of sources, including taxpayers, user fees, other … Continue reading Everything you want to know about municipal reserve funds but were too bored to ask.
What will our June 2026 tax bill look like?
On December 10th, 2025, our Halton Regional Council approved the 2026 budget. With both Burlington and Halton Region having approved budgets, we now know what our June 2026 tax bill will look like. There are four components to our tax bill. This table shows the approved increases and the decision-makers. GovernmentDecision Makers% IncreaseEducationProvince of Ontario0%Region … Continue reading What will our June 2026 tax bill look like?
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
If you are older than sixty-five, you may remember a popular song from the 1970s called “Signs”. It was recorded by a group out of Ottawa called the Five Man Electrical Band, who experienced some popular success here in Canada and, to a lesser extent, in the U.S. The chorus to the song goes something … Continue reading Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
Opinion – Budget 2026 – Do Burlington residents deserve transparency, accountability, and real engagement? (Part 2)
The City of Burlington posts “Council Information” packages to the city’s website. These packages are available to the public on the city’s meeting calendar. (Council and Committees Calendar - City of Burlington) The November 14th, 2025, package contains a list of questions and responses on the 2026 Budget. One of the questions was: “How does … Continue reading Opinion – Budget 2026 – Do Burlington residents deserve transparency, accountability, and real engagement? (Part 2)
Opinion – Budget 2026 – Do Burlington residents deserve transparency, accountability, and real engagement? (Part 1)
First, we’d like to thank the city for the responses to our questions. What is happening in Burlington with Salaries and Wages As one of many questions on the 2026 budget, Focus Burlington asked the city, “What is the reasoning behind the average salary increase being in the range of 5% when CPI is in … Continue reading Opinion – Budget 2026 – Do Burlington residents deserve transparency, accountability, and real engagement? (Part 1)