The City of Mississauga’s 2026 budget process has been focused on balancing the need to respond to increased service demands and rising costs with residents’ very real concern about rising property taxes. The Region of Peel’s budget adds another layer of financial considerations for key regional services such as policing, waste management, and infrastructure maintenance.

The budget process begins with City staff preparing a draft budget under the direction of the Mayor, as per Ontario’s “strong mayor” system. Once proposed, City Council has 30 days to suggest amendments, which can be vetoed by the Mayor. A two-thirds majority of Council is then required to override any veto.

At the Region of Peel level, decisions about regional services like water, wastewater, and paramedics are made, impacting Mississauga’s share of costs. A key part of regional expenditures is the Police budget which is set by the Police Services Board comprised of Provincial members and municipal representation. Together, these municipal and regional budgets determine the overall property tax impact on residents.

The next meeting regarding the 2026 City of Mississauga Budget is scheduled for Tuesday, January 20th and the budget is expected to be approved at the January 28th meeting of Council. You are invited to attend and provide your feedback to Council.  Almost 100 members of the public attended the January 13 budget meeting of Council. In addition to the two Ward 6 budget meetings, several other Councillors held meetings for their Wards. Council has also received extensive feedback via phone and email.

The current budget increase request stands at 4.39%, but this amount is still subject to motions for service increases or budget cuts by Council.

Budget increases come from three main sources:

1. Maintaining Service Levels: Rising costs due to inflation, wages, and other factors while sustaining current services.
2. Increased Demand: Growing demand for existing services, such as transit as the city evolves.
3. New Programs: Introducing new initiatives or expanding services beyond current levels.

In 2025, I voted against some of the expanded service levels that led to a significant budget increase. I also proposed several measures to reduce the budget. Thanks in large part to public feedback, in addition to the ones we successfully approved last year, I am pleased that we are implementing all of those cost saving measures this year. This is on top of the $12-million in savings I helped achieve in the 2026 Peel Budget.

My position reflects a broader concern about fiscal sustainability, as the City faces rising costs for services like winter maintenance, snow clearing, and transit operations, alongside pressure to meet housing and infrastructure needs, we must seek new ways to constrain costs so that people can still afford to live in Mississauga.

You can read more about my past budget positions in media articles by The Pointer and The Mississauga News.

The Region of Peel’s 2026 budget includes a 3.36% regional tax increase with more than half of that coming from the Peel police budget.  You can read about Councillor Horneck’s and others work to limit the budget to almost half of last year’s increase here.

Mississauga currently funds 62% of Peel police services, despite Brampton having an approximately equal share of the population and police calls. Councillor Horneck, alongside other Mississauga council members, has advocated for limiting this police budget increase, citing concerns over affordability and fiscal responsibility.

If you, or someone you know, needs financial assistance with taxes, the City does have a program to help. You can learn more here: Tax assistance for residents – City of Mississauga. It is designed for those in the greatest financial need – so, not everyone will qualify. We also have other programs that I can share with you. Unfortunately, beyond those aide programs, for 2025 taxes cannot be lowered.

The proposed 2026 budget reflects a balancing act between growing service needs and affordability. While Councillor Horneck’s efforts aimed to curb spending growth, the overall increase underscores the challenge of managing rising costs in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed about future budget deliberations, as decisions made today will influence the City’s financial trajectory in the coming years.

For more details, the full budget documents are available on the City of Mississauga’s website.