After months of heated debate and deliberation, Halifax Regional Council has approved its 2026-27 budget, which includes an operating budget of $1.45 billion, a capital budget of $316.7 million and a property tax increase for residents.
The budget passed Tuesday in a 14-3 vote. The mayor was among those who voted against it.
“Is this budget everything I would’ve wanted? No. It never is. That’s the nature of it,” said District 5 Coun. Sam Austin.
“But there’s enough good here and I think, as a body, we’ve done a lot of good here and balanced a lot of competing priorities.”
The budget includes a 9.5 per cent increase to the municipal portion of the property tax bill. In the end, average residential and commercial property tax bills will jump by 7.5 per cent.
According to the municipality, that means the average single-family home with an assessed value of $357,500 would see its bill increase by $284.
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Other highlights include adding 10 articulated buses and 24 bus operators to Halifax Transit, adding 10 firefighters and eight emergency response communicators, and “demonstrating fiscal responsibility” through saving for capital projects and decreasing municipal pension contributions.
“You know, we did work hard. We looked for decreases, we looked for cost savings and we found them,” said Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell.
“There were some increases, too, but in many ways I consider that a realignment of our spending based on priorities and needs of today.”
The budget process was a heated one with plenty of debate around the municipality’s tight finances, while trying to ensure affordability for residents.
Mayor Andy Fillmore says there’s a lot to be proud of in the budget, but he was one of three “no” votes due to the tax hike.
“In the current fiscal reality, in which our residents are living, a 9.5 per cent increase is too high for them and they’ve told me that directly, and I’m not going to sugar-coat our reality for them when they’re telling me how they’re feeling about it,” Fillmore said.
Some councillors were critical of the mayor’s stance, with many pointing to the investments they’re making now in hopes of improving affordability down the road.
“We’re making significant steps towards providing a better lifestyle for our residents. Infrastructure takes time to put in place, and so there are many investments we’d like to be able to make that we’re just not in the position to make all at once,” said District 16 Coun. Jean St-Amand.
Municipal staff told councillors this budget is one of the more financially sustainable for the municipality. And while Fillmore acknowledges this, he plans on bringing a motion to council in the future to initiate a barebones budget process again for next year.
“I have learned that determination and adherence to principle is important and I am not always (going to) get agreement, but I’m not sure anyone wants a mayor that sacrifices their principles,” he said.
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