Looking ahead to 2026, we are entering a new chapter in local governance and financial planning. This year marks the first municipal budget developed under Ontario’s Strong Mayor Powers, and with it comes an opportunity to strengthen how we work together—Mayor, Council, staff, and the community—to shape the future of our Town.
In the spirit of openness and collaboration, Mayor Hamlin has issued a directive that ensures the budget process remains familiar, transparent, and inclusive. By continuing to involve Council and the public, the Town is committed to delivering a budget that reflects shared priorities, meets growing needs, and supports the goals outlined in our Community Based Strategic Plan.
Treasurer, Jennifer Graham, provided an environmental scan and guidelines for the 2026 budget at Council during the Committee of the Whole meeting Monday September 15th, noting Municipalities are still dealing with ongoing inflation. Higher costs for construction, utilities, insurance, and contracts are raising the Town’s everyday expenses and the cost of major projects. This makes it more crucial than ever to prioritize the most essential needs.
We want to hear from you! Tell us what your thoughts are on what the Town should focus on in 2026.
Coffee With Council is an opportunity to meet with members of Council and senior Town Staff to discuss plans for the 2026 Municipal Budget. Have your say and share your ideas - members of Council and Staff want to hear from you!
Date: November 19, 2025
The In-person session will be at the Collingwood Public Library (55 Ste Marie St.), 3rd Floor, Community Rooms B & C. from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. with a presentation at the beginning. Those who cannot attend in person can watch the presentation online (link to be confirmed). The presentation will also be posted to this page following the event.
The Budget is one of the most important matters your elected Council will decide, and your input will help Council identify key investments and priorities and balance them with tax and fee changes. Please consider getting involved by attending any of the meetings in the Budget Timeline or dropping us an email at budget@collingwood.ca.
What is a budget?
It is the most important document that any government adopts. It is a plan that sets out anticipated spending for the year and where the money will come from. It determines the services the municipality will provide and defines any improvements or expenses related to buildings or resources that will be made that year. A budget is the blueprint that outlines how municipal funds are collected and allocated. The overall budget can be separated into two main components – the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget. All the municipality’s income is invested in programs and services that make Collingwood a very desirable place to live, work and play!
What is an Operating Budget?
The operating budget is the plan for the day-to-day operations of the Town including salaries, legal and insurance costs, and winter control. These expenses are required annually to run the municipality. Every Town program and service is funded through the operating budget, which is designed to ensure dependable delivery of a broad array of programs and services that residents rely on every day. Your municipal government is responsible for providing fire and police services, roads, clean water, parks, arenas, library services, and much more. Many of these services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These services and programs are largely funded by tax dollars and user fees which include charges for recreation programs, water, and wastewater services.
What is a Capital Budget?
The capital budget is the annual plan for the purchase and financing of the Town’s capital assets. Capital assets are projects and expenses where the benefits can be seen over the course of many years, such as roads, bridges, land, buildings, machinery, and equipment. The bulk of the capital spending goes to maintaining and fixing existing infrastructure, and is funded through dedicated accounts (similar to savings accounts) that have been built up through taxation and grants.
Building new infrastructure that is needed for keeping up with the growth of the community is funded through charges on the new developments being built.
Balancing the Budget
Each year municipalities are faced with the challenge of balancing the budget, as required by provincial legislation. A municipality can take on debt to pay for large capital acquisitions, however it must ensure that there is enough money to fund day-to-day operations. In order to balance the budget, a careful analysis must be done regarding the level of services required to meet the expectations of the community and the realistic taxation and user fee levels.
Collingwood's Service-Based Budget
All the municipality's income is invested in programs and services that make Collingwood a very desirable place to live, work and play! The Town continues to work towards a service-based budget approach, which highlights the work that staff does and what the Town, through Council direction, aims to accomplish. There are many benefits to this approach, including:
- Having a clear understanding of what the current resources (human and financial) are delivering and to what level of service.
- Setting out and defining who can make what decisions.
- Allocating the resources effectively.
- Creating a framework to enable the creation and improvement of performance measures.
- Identifying best practices and efficiencies.
- Ensuring that there is no duplication of efforts and that the efforts are being conducted by the appropriate resources; and
- Being the framework for risk management analysis.