City of Hamilton continues the 2026 Budget Process: Investing in Our Future

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton continues its work on the 2026 budget, with a focus on affordability and ongoing investment in the critical services residents depend on.

The annual budget puts affordability first and outlines how tax dollars are invested in priorities and essential services like infrastructure, community safety, housing, transit and recreation. It reflects the City’s commitment to public engagement, transparency and clear communication, ensuring residents understand how every dollar supports the community’s needs and long-term sustainability.

“Hamiltonians are feeling the impact of rising costs, and we have a responsibility to make sure every tax dollar delivers value,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “That’s why I’ve directed staff to prepare a budget that holds the line on tax increases while protecting the services people rely on every day. Our focus is clear: keep life affordable, maintain essential services, invest in critical infrastructure, and strengthen community safety and well-being. I want to thank the Hamiltonians that have contributed to the budget, both at in-person sessions and on-line thus far, and look forward to hearing more input in the weeks and months to come as we work together to build a stronger Hamilton.”

This year’s process follows the Mayor’s Directive, issued on October 7 under Ontario’s Municipal Act, 2001. The directive calls for a ‘Hold the Line’ approach, targeting a maximum tax increase of 4.25%, prioritizing affordability while maintaining critical infrastructure, community safety and services levels that Hamiltonians depend on.

Residents can visit Hamilton.ca/2026budget for easy-to-understand information, including:

• How the budget process works 
• Key dates and timelines for Council discussions and public delegations
• Details on 2026 budget priorities 

Earlier this fall, the City held engagement sessions to gather community feedback on their priorities to help inform budget decisions. There are two additional opportunities for residents to share their views with Council on the 2026 budget: 

• Water Budget and Tax Budget Public Delegations: Monday, November 17, 2025
• Tax Budget Public Delegations: Monday, January 19, 2025

Residents may also listen in as City departments deliver departmental presentations and discuss the proposed tax budget with the General Issues Committee from January 27 to January 30, 2026.

Building on that commitment, City Manager Marnie Cluckie emphasized the importance of transparency and continued engagement with residents. “While public input has informed past budgets, this is the first year we’ve undertaken such a comprehensive and proactive public engagement approach in our budget planning. We want to keep that conversation going. Our goal is to make the budget process clear and accessible so residents can stay informed as decisions are made. Budget 2026 is about investing in our future and building a strong and affordable Hamilton. We’re committed to providing residents with the information they need to understand how choices are made and how their input makes a difference.”

Visit Hamilton.ca/2026budget for the full schedule, helpful resources and details on how to register for delegations or listen to presentations.

Quick Facts:

• From September 15 to October 10, 2025, the City hosted its first-ever public engagement sessions on the tax budget, along with online tools like the Balancing Act Budget Tool, a budget survey and an IDEAS platform, to help residents learn about the budget process, understand how programs and services are prioritized, and provide opportunities to ask questions and share feedback. 
• The 2026 budget process began in October 2025 and may run through to March 2026, covering both the Tax Budget and Water Budget.
• There are two main components to the City’s annual budget:
  • Tax Budget – Supports day-to-day operations, including contractual services, materials and supplies, employee salaries and financing of capital projects, funded largely by property tax, government grants and user fees.
  • Water Budget – Covers operating and capital costs of water, wastewater and stormwater services, funded by user rates, government grants, development charges, reserves and long-term debt.