Burlington Tax rate for 2025 fixed at 7.51% more than last year

Halton Regional Council completed its tax rate deliberations on Wednesday. The vote was 15-9 for the increase.

The point of contention was an increase in the Police budget from 13.8 % to 14.3%.

This results in a regional increase of 6.18%, up from the originally forecast 6%

The regional government added half a million to their budget and then adjourned for a little celebration to recognize the Regional CAO who is retiring.

As a result of the budget approval by Halton Regional Council today, the overall tax increase for Burlington in 2025 will now be 5.82 %, up from the projected 5.76% presented at the November 25th  Special Council meeting, and the 4.97% presented on November 4th.

Burlington property tax bills are made up of three parts:

• 51 per cent goes to the City of Burlington to fund local services like transit, roads, parks, and public safety.

• 33 per cent goes to Halton Region for regional services like Halton Regional Police Service, waste management, water, and public health.

• 16 per cent goes to the Boards of Education to support local schools.

City Hall will always use the 5.82 number because it is lower.  What matters is the top line 7.51%

What taxpayers care about is:  How much are my taxes increasing?

The increase from 2025 to 2025 is 7.51%

City Hall added the following to their media release:

1. Work on the City of Burlington’s 2025 budget began in May. Residents, businesses, partners, staff, and all members of council were invited to provide feedback at getinvolvedburlington.ca/2025budget, the Food for Feedback event, at six in-person consultation meetings in each ward, at a telephone town hall, and during committee and council meetings. This feedback was presented to City Council to allow them to provide feedback on the proposed priority projects and services.
2. Public feedback centered on concerns with tax affordability, reducing taxes and prioritizing services such as roads, infrastructure, climate change/environment and affordable housing.
3. In June 2024, the 2025 Financial Needs and Multi-Year Forecast Report was presented at Committee of the Whole. Preliminary discussions began in July 2024, and throughout summer, among staff, Council, and the community to help with information sharing and collaboration early on in the process.
4. Under new provincial legislation, the city budget process has changed. Mayors are now required to either prepare a budget or direct staff to do so. Councils can amend the proposed budget; Mayors have the option to veto amendments; and councils can override a Mayoral veto by a two-thirds vote. After this process is complete, the budget is deemed approved.
5. In Burlington, the Mayor issued a Mayoral Decision in July to direct staff to prepare the budget. This was unanimously endorsed by council.
6. Following in-person consultation meetings in September and October, the City published its Proposed Budget on Oct. 25 and presented it to Committee of the Whole Nov. 4 for feedback and public delegationCouncil presented amendments to the budget at a special Budget meeting on Nov. 18, at which time public delegations were again received. The amendments were approved at a Special Council meeting Nov. 25.
7. The Mayor did not exercise the veto option and issued a Mayoral Decision, ending the veto period, and as a result the staff-presented, council-amended budget was deemed approved after the Special Council meeting of Nov. 25.
8. For Halton Region budgets, staff presented a budget to Regional Council at meetings on Dec. 4 and 11. Regional councillors can bring amendments, as happened today regarding the police budget. Council votes as a whole to approve the budget and any amendments. That work is now complete.
9. The Mayor and all six Burlington Councillors sit on the 24-member Halton Regional Council, which includes representatives from Burlington, Halton Hills, Oakville, and Milton.
10. Halton Region provides services such as: police, paramedics, health and social services (including housing), services for seniors, water and wastewater, regional roads, waste management, and contributions to Conservation Authorities.