Some Wilmot residents invited to discuss 2026 budget at drop-in event

Wilmot Ward 4 councillors Lillianne Dunstall and Steven Martin have scheduled a 2026 budget open house later in September to hear concerns and ideas from residents. Wilmot Township website photos

By Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The 2026 budget process hasn’t started yet, but a pair of Wilmot Township councillors are getting a jump on it.

Ward 4 residents have been invited to share their ideas at a drop-in event hosted by councillors Lillianne Dunstall and Steven Martin. Martin said he is open to listening to anything the public has to say.

“I do not have a set plan with regard to the budget. We have to continue to build our capital reserves. We want to keep the taxes as low as possible.”

He added to continue to have good infrastructure and services, Wilmot needs to have the revenue to cover expenses. 

“At the same time, the community has to be an affordable place to live. So, this town hall drop-in is an opportunity for residents and constituents to give us their feedback on what is important in the budget and what concerns they have. I want to listen to people and take their comments, ideas and concerns seriously.”  

Wilmot Township’s 2025 draft budget initially sparked national attention with a proposed tax increase of more than 50 per cent. Following extensive debate, council adopted a phased approach to capital spending, spreading costs over four years at nine per cent annually through 2028. This adjustment reduced the final tax levy increase to 18.22 per cent, as approved with the 2025 budget. For the average property, it translated into an annual increase of approximately $208, or about $17.33 per month. Councillors Harvir Sidhu and Kris Wilkinson were the only elected officials to vote against the budget. At the time, Wilkinson said the budget was just too expensive for taxpayers.

“I could not support an increase of this magnitude as it places a significant financial strain on residents at a time when affordability is already a major concern for people in our community and folks across Canada,” Wilkinson said.

Dunstall explained she and her counterpart felt it was important to start the 2026 budget conversation early.

“This session is about listening and learning from residents and giving them the chance to raise concerns and share ideas before the formal process begins. At last year’s town hall, residents had some great suggestions. One was budget training for new councillors and the other was a Six Sigma-style service delivery review. I was able to get both passed unanimously. The training has happened and the review is now underway.”

Many municipalities use Six Sigma-style reviews to assess whether each service is necessary, effective and aligned with community priorities and benchmark costs and service levels against other municipalities (to find out if they are over- or under-spending). It also explores opportunities to streamline processes, consolidate services, or introduce technology and makes evidence-based decisions about funding, staffing, or outsourcing.

Council approved a schedule for the 2026 budget at its meeting on July 28. However, timelines are very likely to change due to the recent departure of key finance staff.

Dunstall said no one has raised the budget with her recently, but she expects that to change in the near future. She added her goal in 2026 is to put everything on the table.

“We are already entering the budget with a levy. I am bringing forward a motion to introduce a scoring system that evaluates township-owned properties. This will help council make informed decisions about whether to retain, lease, or sell assets. These are difficult conversations, but necessary ones if we want to provide both strong services and fair tax relief.”

She added there will be tough conversations going forward, but they will be important ones.

“Whatever decisions are made, the community has to be at the table and part of the solution. No more surprises.”

The event takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 3-9 p.m. at the New Hamburg Community Centre at 251 Jacob St. Anyone with questions is encouraged to email the two councillors at lillianne.dunstall@wilmot.ca and steven.martin@wilmot.ca.