At its meeting on December 9, 2025, Lake of Bays Council adopted the Township’s 2026 Budget and Business Plan, concluding a public review and deliberation process that began with the release of the draft budget in November.
When the draft budget was presented on November 11, Council directed staff to return with options to reduce the overall levy impact. Staff returned with a revised budget that lowers the municipal tax rate increase to 4.27 per cent.
For a residential property assessed at $300,000, this represents an increase of $28.83 per year on the municipal portion of the tax bill.
The approved budget continues to advance the Strategic Priorities set by Council while maintaining the services residents rely on. Key budget highlights include:
- Dwight Library expansion and Community Centre upgrades, and continued work on the Muskoka Road 117 revitalization project in Baysville.
- Resurfacing of more than 23 kilometres of roads, bridge repairs, and upgrades and maintenance to municipal facilities and public spaces.
- Additional staffing in planning, building, and library services to meet evolving demands, along with new fire service staffing to support the Township’s transition to an independent fire department.
The 2026 Budget and Business Plan sets the direction for municipal operations, capital projects, and service delivery for the year ahead. The full document will be posted on the Township’s website once finalized. In the meantime, residents can review the 2026 Budget at a Glance for a summary of the year’s investments and financial highlights.
From the Township of Lake of Bays
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Some context giving totals including the District levy and new MAT as well as previous years’ totals of increases would be helpful to providing the whole picture rather than LOBs selective spin. The idea the individual towns like Huntsville and Lake of Bays try to divorce themselves from the total cost to taxpayers in this two tier system does not wash. These are irresponsible number especialky when the lack of services and repeat increases are compared to large urban centres