The financial trade-offs shaping municipal budgets across Ontario will shape property taxes for years — not just this year’s levy are being made now.

·  What is the projected impact over the next three to five years?

·  What assumptions are being used about growth, inflation, and interest rates?

·  What is the backup plan if those assumptions don’t hold?

What kind of answer you’re looking for:

A clear explanation of the long-term cost curve, not just this year’s savings. If the answer relies heavily on optimistic growth projections or “future review,” that is important to note. A strong answer connects today’s decision to a documented future plan.
Where do reserves stand compared to policy targets?

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Reserves are municipal savings accounts meant to stabilize taxes and manage risk. The question is not whether they should ever be used — its whether they are being used within established financial guidelines.Ask:

·  What is the official reserve policy target?

·  Where is the reserve balance today relative to that target?

·  What risk level does this decision create?

What kind of answer you’re looking for:

Specific percentages or dollar comparisons to policy benchmarks. If reserves are below target, ask how council plans to rebuild them and over what timeline. If reserves are being drawn down, councillors should be able to explain a replenishment strategy. If they cannot describe how and when reserves will be restored, that signals risk.
If development charges are reduced or waived, how will the city fund the infrastructure those charges were meant to pay for?

Development charges and growth-related revenue fund infrastructure for new housing. When those revenues shrink — or are reduced — infrastructure still needs funding.Ask:

·  If development charge revenue drops, what replaces it?

·  Will projects be delayed, debt increased, or costs shifted to existing taxpayers?

·  What is the downside scenario if construction does not rebound?

What you are looking for:

A clear funding source. If the answer is uncertain or dependent on outside funding that is not yet secured, that risk should be acknowledged openly.

A satisfying answer will identify a defined plan: re-prioritizing projects, adjusting capital timing, accessing a specific reserve, or revisiting the policy within a set time frame. If the response assumes that growth “will return” without explaining what happens if it does not, that is not a complete answer.A useful follow-up is: “What happens if building volumes remain at current levels for two more years?” or “Is there a written contingency scenario in the capital forecast?”

How to Raise These Questions Effectively

Although speaking at council is one of the best forms of action, you don’t need to speak at council to be heard. Effective engagement can include:

·  Emailing your councillor and copying the mayor or regional chair

·  Submitting a written delegation that becomes part of the official record

·  Attending ward meetings or community town halls

·  Requesting written clarification through the Clerk’s Office

·  Coordinating joint letters with neighbours to demonstrate shared concern

What matters most is clarity.Reference the exact report or motion. Ask for numbers and timelines. Request written responses where possible. Focus on sustainability, policy targets, and long-term impact.Avoid personal attacks and stick to the financial substance of the issue.Decision-makers respond more constructively when residents show they understand the trade-offs involved. Clear, disciplined questions are harder to dismiss than emotional reactions.Residents are far more effective together than alone.
Consider joining your local taxpayer or residents’ group.

Organized voices amplify shared concerns, track follow-up commitments, and maintain steady pressure between meetings.Are you a part of your local region property tax group?Visit our Alliance Member page to see whether your municipality has an alliance member organization within the PTA network. If your region is not yet represented, contact us — we may be able to help connect you or support the formation of a local group. Consider joining your local taxpayer or residents’ association. When local groups coordinate their research and raise consistent concerns, they strengthen their influence and create measurable change.

Informed engagement is not opposition. Its accountability.

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The more residents who understand what’s happening, the stronger our communities become.