Wilmot councillors vote for more detailed budget report

By Lee Griffi

Wilmot Township councillors and members of the public had their first opportunity to ask questions and comment on the 2026 budget last week.

A pair of motions passed which would see a proposed 9.7 per-cent levy increase drop to 9.22 per cent unless Mayor Natasha Salonen exercises her right under Strong Mayor Powers to veto them. This year’s budget was prepared by consulting firm KPMG at the request of Salonen.

One motion was to eliminate a cost-of-living increase for all elected officials; the other was to remove $65,000 from the mayor and council budget identified as a duplicate cost.

Council also passed a motion, brought forward by Coun. Kris Wilkinson, directing staff to make line-by-line actuals and variances for the 2024 and 2025 budgets, along with detailed line-by-line information for the 2026 budget, available by Feb. 4, something that was not released in the initial document.

Wilkinson asked that detailed spending information from each township department be released to the public so residents can see exactly how the money is being spent.

“I would concur with some of the delegations this evening that the number overall isn’t something that isn’t palatable. As long as we can back up and justify where the money is going, then it makes sense,” he said.

Wilkinson appeared on the Mike Farwell Show on 570 City News in Kitchener on Tuesday morning.

“The budget in itself was about 40 pages or so and was mainly a high-level overview … of we’re going to spend more money here and more money here and more money here, less money here,” he told Farwell.

After going through the pages, he realized he had no idea where the money was being spent.

“It basically just said operating expenses for this department are increasing by 30 per cent. That’s a pretty big number, and I think it should be detailed, and the public should be informed. … It’s only fair to say, ‘Show us the work.’ You showed us the answer, but like your Grade 7 or grade 8 math teacher, show us your work. How did you get there?”

Wilkinson added he would like to see a standardized budgeting process implemented for all municipalities across the province in the best interest of taxpayers.

Coun. Harvir Sidhu took to social media following the meeting to express his displeasure with the budget process.

“After four years on council, I’m frustrated – not because of one meeting, but because of a pattern.”

He added council was asked to consider a budget without sufficient detail and without a proper long-term plan to show where the township is heading.

“I’ve heard the argument that council can sit down one-on-one with staff to ask questions. Respectfully, that misses the point. This is public money and the information should be publicly available from the start, not shared privately and not only if you know which questions to ask.”

He added residents have been asked to trust the numbers, but Wilmot’s finances are not what they were portrayed to be.

“Given that reality, it’s not reasonable to ask the public to simply trust the township again without full transparency."

Sidhu said what’s especially concerning is this year’s budget was developed before council received a proper 10-year capital plan.

“(It) is essential. It shows the long-term consequences of today’s decisions and should be what informs annual budgets, not something completed after the fact. Approving budgets without that roadmap risks repeating past mistakes and pushing costs onto future councils and future taxpayers,” he said.

Sidhu thanked his fellow councillors for supporting and passing a motion to release more detailed financial information to the public.

“That was the right decision and an important step forward, but transparency should never be something council has to fight for. After four years, my position hasn’t changed. Trust isn’t asked for, it’s earned. And it starts by showing the public exactly where their money is going.”

Council also heard from several residents, including Baden resident David Bernier who expressed his concerns over increases to water and wastewater rates.

“This is a historic increase. Searching the open source, it looks like it puts us at number one in the province for two years. That wouldn’t be something we want to be number one at,” Bernier said.

Water rates are set to rise by five per cent while wastewater rates would increase by six per cent.

In the 2025 budget, council and staff acknowledged that years of historically low tax increases and minimal reserve contributions left the township with depleted reserves and underfunded capital needs.  Council directed staff to phase in an increase in capital funding within the tax-supported operating budget over multiple years, specifically with a nine per-cent increase in capital investment planned each year for at least three years.

Bernier said he’d like to see a fairer process.

“I don’t think it's fair to pass that error on to the taxpayer. That’s something that should be stretched over a long period of time.”

He also expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of transparency and poor timing.

“I really appreciate the chance to give input, but you have six business days for council to propose amendments. I don’t think that’s enough time. My ask for the future is to have more time.”

Wilmot taxpayers saw a 10.8 per-cent increase in their property taxes in 2024, a number that jumped to 18.22 per cent last year.

Councillors have until Feb. 9 to introduce motions, when another budget meeting will be held. The deadline for Salonen to exercise her veto is Feb. 19. If no vetoes are issued, the budget will be adopted on Feb. 20.

Residents can provide feedback on the budget by emailing budget@wilmot.ca.