The municipal budget is a crucial policy and planning document that highlights our municipality’s priorities for services, programs, and infrastructure. Crafting the budget involves balancing often competing priorities: delivering the level of services that residents expect and deserve, while also considering what is financially feasible.

In each year, prior to 2026, municipal staff have presented a preliminary budget in draft to Council and the public and reviewed this in detail as the basis for setting the final budget. In 2026, this process will change due to new legislation implemented on May 1, 2025. On this date, the Province extended Strong Mayor Powers to 169 municipalities, including Loyalist Township. One of the powers provided to the Mayor as the head of council is the power to propose the municipality's budget by February 1 each year. The new legislation permits Council to pass resolutions making amendments to the proposed budget within 30 days of receipt. Following the 30-day period, the Mayor has the opportunity to veto the amendments within 10 days. Following this, there is an opportunity for Council to override the Mayor's veto within 15 days, which requires a 2/3 super majority support to pass.

Budget information

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In 2026, this municipal budget process will change due to new legislation implemented on May 1, 2025. On this date, the Province extended Strong Mayor Powers to 169 municipalities, including Loyalist Township.

With this change in legislation, Mayor Jim Hegadorn provided written notice of Decision 2025-5, which directs the Chief Administrative Officer and the Director of Finance/Treasurer to:

1. Prepare the budget that generally conforms to the budget planning processes used in previous years, including undertaking consultation and gathering input from members of the public and each member of Loyalist Township Council, and adherence to any approved financial policies.

2. Periodically brief me (the Mayor) on the progress of the draft budget.

3. Present and obtain input from Loyalist Township Council on the Capital Needs Plan.

4. Provide the proposed budget to each Member of Council, the Clerk, and the public before end of day on November 11, 2025; and

5. Present the proposed budget to the Loyalist Township Council for input.

Based on that direction, the following 2026 Budget schedule was prepared by staff and approved by Council:

This proposed budget schedule aims to ensure the 2026 Budget is 'deemed adopted' before the end of the year, which is the preferred timeline for the Township. In order to meet a year-end budget approval timeline, it is recommended that the new timelines (i.e. amendment, veto, and override periods) outlined in the Municipal Act be shortened as follows:

Once Council completes its budget deliberations on November 24, staff will ask Council to pass a resolution to reduce Council's amendment period to end on November 24 if the budget is acceptable. This would mean that there would be no further opportunities for Council to make amendments to the Budget. Once the amendment period is completed, the Mayor's veto period begins. If the Mayor's veto power is not exercised, the budget is deemed to have passed (at the earliest November 25, 2025 if the Mayor chooses to shorten their veto period to one day).