JASON SETNYK
The City of Cornwall had officially confirmed the adoption of its 2026 General Taxation and Water/Wastewater Budgets. Mayor Justin Towndale did not use his Strong Mayor Powers to veto council’s amendment passed at the January 7 special budget meeting, allowing the finalized budget to come into effect.
Cornwall residents can expect a 5.41% increase in the general tax levy. For the average home assessed at $176,700, this equates to a $165.94 increase over last year. Water and wastewater rates will also rise, with an overall increase of 6.81%. Flat-rate customers will see a 5.49% bump, about $60 annually, depending on household fixtures.
The budget’s adoption followed a narrow 4-3 council vote January 7, approving a $25,000 allocation to the Social Development Council (SDC) of Cornwall, SDG, and Akwesasne to support a part-time staff member during its transition to Eastern Ontario Training Board (EOTB) oversight. The funding was sourced by reducing proposed grants to Your Arts Council and Diversity Cornwall by $10,000 each, alongside a $10,000 property tax contribution.
Councillor Sarah Good expressed concern about the lack of a formal process for ad hoc funding requests. “We do not currently have a clear policy in place for funding requests outside of the Municipal Grants program,” said Good. “This creates discrepancies in who is successful for funding, and no clear methodology for selection.”
The budget also included a $50,000 contribution to Centre 105, which was briefly questioned by Councillor Fred Ngoundjo before his motion failed to gain a seconder.
All budget documents and Strong Mayor directives are publicly available on the City’s website.
L’article Average tax bill to rise by $165 est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
