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Huntsville Council sticks to a 4.87% tax hike for 2026

On November 13, 2025, the 2026 Mayor’s Budget was presented at a Special Budget Council Meeting, and no changes were proposed by council.

The 2026 Mayor’s Budget has been finalized, resulting in an estimated tax rate increase of 4.87 per cent and a levy increase of $1.67 million year-over-year.

The levy supports the day-to-day services the community relies on, as well as replenishes the Town reserves which provide the funds for larger capital projects. Of the estimated 4.87 per cent tax rate increase, 1.52 per cent is designated to the operating portion of the budget, and 3.35 per cent is for capital. The operating budget covers the Town’s programs and services, like swimming lessons and snow plowing, while the capital budget is to replace and procure new physical Town assets such as roads, play structures, and buildings.

“This budget represents Council’s commitment to being proactive in building reserves to ensure the future of Huntsville’s infrastructure is a top priority,” shares Mayor Nancy Alcock. “We’re continuing to provide quality services every day, while making responsible investments to plan and budget for far beyond 2026.”  

This will result in an estimated approximate increase of $24 per $100,000 of assessed value for a residential property. The assessed value of the property is not the same thing as the market value of the property, which is the dollar amount that homes are sold for today. The assessed value is provided by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), who is currently using 2016 property assessment values. To learn more about how your property taxes are calculated, please visit huntsville.ca

The average residential property in Huntsville has an MPAC assessed value of $300,000. With the 2026 Mayor’s Budget, the Town portion of taxes for the average residential property is estimated to be $1,562, which is an annual increase of $73. 

This budget is the second year of a two-year budget and was first approved by Council on November 12, 2024, in the original review of the 2025-2026 Consolidated Budget. Multi-year budgets are reviewed and re-adopted annually to allow for adjustments for new legislation, a change to council direction, and evolving economic and political conditions.

Want to dig deeper? Watch the full Special Budget Council Meeting discussion through the livestream

From the Town of Huntsville

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4 Comments

  1. Chas Clark says:

    So, nearly a 20 percent rise in taxes over the last 3 years within average inflation rate in Canada of 3.5 percent per year so how can this council justify these raises? Please bring back Claude Doughy to sort out this mess.

  2. Carey Fabricius says:

    What?!! Affordable housing in this town? The Affordable housing in Huntsville is a homeless shelter, hope you’re investing money in shelters because more people are going to NEED them!!!

  3. Kathryn E henderson says:

    Its amazing how council can spend more money. Almost all the workers in Huntsville DO NOT GET A RAISE. Not annually not ever. What makes council think we can get this extra 5%?

  4. Bill Beatty says:

    Oh for the days of 3 % or less increases and a tax increase reflected Needs not Wants . Simple 2 letter word that needs to be used more…..NO !