Mayor Ian Boddy has formally presented his proposed 2026 budget for the City of Owen Sound, outlining a plan that aims to preserve essential municipal services while maintaining the City’s long-term financial health. The budget was prepared in collaboration with individual members of council, the Director of Corporate Services, and the City Manager, following a deliberate and cautious process that aligns with the Province of Ontario’s recent implementation of Strong Mayor powers.
The proposed spending plan underscores the City’s ongoing effort to manage the rising costs of delivering municipal services while remaining fiscally responsible. It also continues work to gradually narrow the difference between Owen Sound’s residential property tax rate and the Grey County average, a long-standing objective for council and staff.
Efficiency and disciplined spending are central themes in the 2026 budget, with a focus on responsible management of City assets without reducing the services residents rely on every day. Despite several development projects beginning construction in 2025, the City reports no growth in the taxpayer base this year, contributing to a proposed overall budget increase of 5.5 per cent for 2026.
Core services such as community policing, public transit, and a full-time professional fire service remain priorities in the budget, with City officials noting that these foundational services come with significant and ongoing costs. To help manage those pressures, the City continues to pursue corporate-wide efficiency measures, service review actions, and the use of Lean Six Sigma practices across departments. Efforts are also underway to carefully examine expenditures and identify savings, including a reduction in professional development funding, in order to focus on building internal talent.
The budget also outlines plans to better align parks and public works labour in 2026, a move intended to strengthen collaboration between departments and improve operational efficiency. In addition, new funding is included for the City’s Sustainable Community Initiative to support the operation and renovation of a new public washroom in the River District. The project emerged from one of the City’s most extensive community engagement efforts, drawing input from more than 500 participants and a wide range of community organizations.
Mayor Boddy said the approach reflects continuity in the City’s priorities, even as the budgeting process evolves.
“The Strong Mayor framework may change the process, but it doesn’t change our priorities. This budget is responsible, transparent, and focused on what matters most to Owen Sound,” Boddy explained.
Council is scheduled to review the proposed budget at a special meeting in January, with final amendments expected to be confirmed in February, at which point the 2026 budget will be deemed adopted. Residents will be able to follow the process by watching meetings live or on demand through the City of Owen Sound’s website.
