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.
OPINION – DOUG FORD: MAN OF THE PEOPLE OR PAST HIS PRIME?
Another week, and another litany of verbal ramblings and bumptious bleatings from Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The latest crisis involved a $75 million ad campaign the Ontario government launched in support of removing tariffs from Canadian imports to the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump was so enraged by this commercial, which featured former President … Continue reading OPINION – DOUG FORD: MAN OF THE PEOPLE OR PAST HIS PRIME?
Opinion – Horizon 2050 – A must-have $100,000 expense.
Introduction The city recently announced with great fanfare the launch of “Horizon 2050 – Shaping Burlington’s Future”. The purpose of this initiative was explained in the official launch announcement: “We are creating our next long-term vision and strategic plan – Horizon 2050 and we want to hear from you! Horizon 2050 will guide the choices … Continue reading Opinion – Horizon 2050 – A must-have $100,000 expense.
Our Survey on Burlington’s 2026 Budget
The city will be releasing a detailed 2026 budget on October 24th, 2025, and our council will vote to pass the budget on December 2nd, 2025. Focus Burlington, a group of volunteers, is conducting a survey on the 2026 budget. We don’t have all the budget details, but the city has released enough information to … Continue reading Our Survey on Burlington’s 2026 Budget
Opinion – Fact Checking the Budget Town Hall Meetings!
Focus Burlington is a group of volunteers dedicated to promoting a safe, secure, and sustainable future for all residents of Burlington. Group members recently attended all the city’s town hall meetings on the 2026 budget. Accompanying the mayor at every meeting is our very own Deputy Mayor for Strategy and Budgets, our Ward 5 councillor. … Continue reading Opinion – Fact Checking the Budget Town Hall Meetings!
Say Goodbye to the Sound of Music Festival.
The next Burlington City Council meeting is on October 6, 2025. Council is voting to remove all funding from the Sound of Music Festival.
Opinion – Burlington’s 2026 Budget Blueprint
Focus Burlington, a group of volunteers, we took a look at the 2026 Budget Blueprint and here’s what we found. From 2022 to 2026, the Burlington line on our tax bill will increase by 45%. Here’s the explanation. Our tax bill has three lines on it: one for the city, one for the region, and … Continue reading Opinion – Burlington’s 2026 Budget Blueprint
Opinion – Learning about The ABC’s (Agencies, Boards and Committees, that is!)
Why does the City of Burlington require 6 Committees, 9 Boards and 10 Advisory Committees to help administer its affairs?
Road Capacity – “Let’s get people onto transit and into cycle lanes”
Here is a quote from the Tuesday, September 9th, 2025, council meeting during a discussion on a high-rise development proposal on Plains Road. A city hall employee stated to our council: “There is a point where a road becomes overcapacity, like the IMP (Integrated Mobility Plan) suggests, let's get people onto transit and into cycle … Continue reading Road Capacity – “Let’s get people onto transit and into cycle lanes”
Opinion – Food For Feedback
Please complete the Focus Burlington Budget survey linked at the bottom of this post. The annual, City of Burlington, Food for Feedback event is back. Visit Central Park on September 13th, 2025 from 12 – 4 p.m. to participate. Through a Freedom of Information request, we learned that the city paid $47,657.37 for food at … Continue reading Opinion – Food For Feedback