South Stormont approves budget with 5.69 per cent increase

LONG SAULT – South Stormont Township’s draft 2026 budget with a 5.69 per cent tax increase was approved by council at their December 17 meeting.

The increase translates to an additional $34.09 in property tax for every $100,000 of assessed value on a home.

Earlier this month, SDG Counties Council approved their budget in principle with a 4.48 per cent tax increase on the upper-tier portion of the tax bill.

Property taxes account for about 45 per cent of the revenue for South Stormont in the upcoming year. The balance is from provincial funding, user fees, and drawn from accumulated reserves.

Included in the taxation is a transfer of $860,000 into reserves for future use. The budget also draws out $2,897,800 from existing reserves, meaning a net draw down of reserves by $2,037,800.

The township’s $24.6 million budget includes $15.4 million for operations and $8.3 million for capital projects. That spending includes resurfacing 11 roads including 4.7 kilometres of Hunters Road at a combined cost of $2.3 million, equipment upgrades for the Long Sault Arena ($320k) and sidewalk and streetlight replacements ($200k).

As the Trillium Road landfill in Newington is scheduled to close in a year’s time, this budget includes $1.2 million to build a new transfer station, and purchase a new garbage truck. Garbage will be trucked to the GFL Moose Creek Landfill in North Stormont once South Stormont’s landfill closes.

“Council and Staff worked diligently to prepare a budget that balances the needs of our community with today’s economic realities,” said Mayor Bryan McGillis. “Rising inflation and financial pressures required difficult decisions, but through collaboration we’ve developed a plan that keeps affordability in mind while continuing to move South Stormont forward.”

This is the third budget in a row with a tax increase of over five per cent. The tax increase for 2025 was 6.9 per cent, and in 2024 was 9.5 per cent. South Stormont’s 2023 budget saw a five per cent tax increase. This budget is the final municipal budget for the 2022-26 term of council.