Planning Pickering’s 2026 Budget

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Thank you to everyone who took the time to share feedback, ideas, and priorities during the City of Pickering’s 2026 Budget engagement process. Community input plays an essential role in responsible and transparent decision making, and helps guide how we plan for a growing and diverse city. View our 'What We Heard' Summary here.

All resident feedback was shared directly with Mayor Ashe and the City Treasurer for consideration during the development of the proposed 2026 Budget documents. Your insights supported their review of service levels, capital investments, infrastructure needs, and long-term financial planning.

To help you learn more about the proposed 2026 Budget, we encourage you to explore the Budget Highlights document. It provides a clear overview of key investments, major projects, and funding priorities for the year ahead.

For 2026, Mayor Ashe is pleased to present a budget with a 3.49 percent levy increase.

Access the Budget Highlights document here.

We also invite you to visit pickering.ca/budget for a deeper look at the the 2026 Mayor's Proposed Capital Budget and 2027-2035 Forecast and 2026 Mayor's Proposed Current Budget.

Thank you again for helping us plan responsibly and invest wisely in Pickering’s future. Your participation continues to support our shared goals of building an inclusive, connected, and thriving community.

Pickering's Budget - What You Need To Know

Pickering is a thriving city thanks to the residents and businesses who choose to live, work, and invest here.

Each year, the City plans its budget priorities to ensure a high quality of life, as it relates to the municipal service, program, and infrastructure needs of the community.

The City invites you to follow the 2026 Budget process this fall - stay tuned for opportunities to participate!

Where do your tax dollars go?


  • 11.88% of your tax dollars goes to the Boards of Education
  • 57.82% of your tax dollars goes to the Region of Durham
  • 30.30% of your tax dollars goes to the City of Pickering

Property tax dollars fund various programs and services, including:

1. City: Fire, recreation programs, municipal law enforcement, city planning, animal services, libraries, road maintenance, parks, streetlights, storm sewers and more.

2. Education: The education tax rate is established by the Province. The local school boards are responsible for determining how school taxes are spent.

3. Region: Police, maintenance of major roads, transit, waste management, social services, childcare, public health and ambulance, and more.

Budget Pressures

Pickering, like the rest of the Province, continues to face financial realities like inflation, high interest rates, labour shortages, and legislative changes that are further impacting municipal capacity to deliver services and invest in infrastructure.

Exploring Funding Sources

While property taxes are the City of Pickering's main source of revenue, the City seeks out other funding opportunities to help relieve the residential tax load. This includes:

1. Actively seeking and applying for eligible funding and grant programs from both the Federal and Provincial governments.

2. Naming rights partnerships.

3. The City’s Municipal Contribution Agreement with Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation, in which it receives revenues for hosting the Pickering Casino Resort.

Since Pickering Casino Resort opened in July 2021, OLG has issued non-tax gaming revenue payments to the City of Pickering for hosting the facility, as part of its Municipal Contribution Agreement with Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation (OLG). Pickering also shares a portion of this revenue with the Region of Durham.

Casino revenues have been used and/or are planned to be used for both Current and Capital Budget items like:

  • Funding for community groups as part of the City’s Community Grants Program
  • Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex O'Brien Arena Renovation
  • Central Library Lobby Retrofit
  • Dunbarton Pool Roof and Structure Replacement
  • Bay Ridges Kinsmen Park Soccer Turf Replacement and Beverley Morgan Park Track Replacement
  • Snow Clearing Program for Seniors & Persons with Disabilities
  • Accessible Pedestrian Signals
  • Dorsay Community & Heritage Centre
  • Beachfront Park Master Plan
  • Tennis Court Flooring Replacement at Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex

How does the budget work?

Every year, City of Pickering approves the Current (also known as the Operating) and Capital Budgets. The Current and Capital Budgets outline how the City will use its revenues to deliver services to residents. The Current Budget focuses on day-to-day expenses, while the Capital Budget covers major infrastructure and equipment requirements.

Property taxes are the City of Pickering's main source of revenue. The property tax levy is the amount of money that the City requires to provide services such as snow clearing, road repair, emergency services, parks maintenance, and libraries, to name a few.

Watch a short video on how municipalities build their budget:


Capital Budget

The Capital Budget is used for long-term investments, like infrastructure and facilities, that are paid off over time. This includes projects related to roads, bridges and sidewalks, vehicles and equipment, streetlights, playgrounds, and trails. It includes new infrastructure projects as well as the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure.

Take a look back at 2024’s key infrastructure projects:


Take a look back at 2023's key infrastructure projects:


Take a look back at 2022’s key infrastructure projects:


Current Budget

The Current Budget, also known as an Operating Budget, covers the day-to-day expenses required to deliver services to residents. These costs can return year-after-year and include services such as roads, parks, and sport field maintenance, staffing and utilities for City facilities like libraries and community centres, and fire services.

Most of the funds for the Current Budget are raised through property taxes and the remainder comes from a variety of sources like user and permit fees and licences. This budget is prepared by each municipal department and reflects that area of responsibility.

Strong Mayor Powers

The Mayor has special powers and duties under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c. 25 and in accordance with O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg. 580/22. Part of these special powers includes the ability to prepare and propose the City’s budget, subject to possible Council amendments, and the Mayor’s ability to veto such amendments, which are subject to an override process that may be accomplished by two-thirds of the Council. As such, Mayor Ashe has provided Direction to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Director, Finance & Treasurer pertaining to the 2026 City of Pickering Budget. View Direction.

Legislative framework governing the Mayor’s special powers and duties under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c. 25

Under O. Reg. 530/22, the Mayor is required to propose the budget by February 1st. After the Mayor proposes the budget, Council can pass resolutions to amend the budget within 30 days. The Mayor may veto a Council budget resolution within 10 days after the expiry of the amendment time frame. Council may then attempt to override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds majority vote, within 15 days after the expiry of the Mayor’s veto time frame (under the legislation these time frames may be shortened). At the end of this process, the resulting budget is “deemed” to be adopted by the municipality. Learn more.

See Schedule A (page 40) of the Procedure By-law for excerpts from the Municipal Act (the “Act”), pertaining to the exercise of the Special Powers and duties provided to the Mayor as the Head of Council for the City of Pickering. The provisions that follow are provided to inform Council and the public on the process to be carried out when the Special Powers are utilized. These Special Powers, commonly referred to as “Strong Mayor Powers”, are exercised under provincial legislation and take precedence over the normal rules of procedure outlined in this By-law, where applicable.

What were the 2025 Budget Highlights?

In 2025, the City's portion of the residential property tax bill increased by 1.15 percent.

This equates to $82.62 on the average assessed home in Pickering of $586,000.

This increase, when combined with the Region of Durham and School Board increases, resulted in an average increase of 5.26 percent on the total property tax bill (based on the Durham Region approved levy increase of 7.4%).

  • The 2025 Current Budget is $94,227,956
  • The 2025 Capital Budget is $96,939,550

A general rule of thumb for calculating property tax is to multiply your assessed value (or purchase price if recent) by the current tax rate. For example, if you paid $586,000 for your house, your taxes would be: $586,000 x 2025 Residential Tax Rate (0.01288240) = $7,549.09

Educational Videos

Take a look through our videos below to get a better understanding of each topic.

Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 101 - learn more about how your property tax is calculated.

Quick Links

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share feedback, ideas, and priorities during the City of Pickering’s 2026 Budget engagement process. Community input plays an essential role in responsible and transparent decision making, and helps guide how we plan for a growing and diverse city. View our 'What We Heard' Summary here.

All resident feedback was shared directly with Mayor Ashe and the City Treasurer for consideration during the development of the proposed 2026 Budget documents. Your insights supported their review of service levels, capital investments, infrastructure needs, and long-term financial planning.

To help you learn more about the proposed 2026 Budget, we encourage you to explore the Budget Highlights document. It provides a clear overview of key investments, major projects, and funding priorities for the year ahead.

For 2026, Mayor Ashe is pleased to present a budget with a 3.49 percent levy increase.

Access the Budget Highlights document here.

We also invite you to visit pickering.ca/budget for a deeper look at the the 2026 Mayor's Proposed Capital Budget and 2027-2035 Forecast and 2026 Mayor's Proposed Current Budget.

Thank you again for helping us plan responsibly and invest wisely in Pickering’s future. Your participation continues to support our shared goals of building an inclusive, connected, and thriving community.

Pickering's Budget - What You Need To Know

Pickering is a thriving city thanks to the residents and businesses who choose to live, work, and invest here.

Each year, the City plans its budget priorities to ensure a high quality of life, as it relates to the municipal service, program, and infrastructure needs of the community.

The City invites you to follow the 2026 Budget process this fall - stay tuned for opportunities to participate!

Where do your tax dollars go?


  • 11.88% of your tax dollars goes to the Boards of Education
  • 57.82% of your tax dollars goes to the Region of Durham
  • 30.30% of your tax dollars goes to the City of Pickering

Property tax dollars fund various programs and services, including:

1. City: Fire, recreation programs, municipal law enforcement, city planning, animal services, libraries, road maintenance, parks, streetlights, storm sewers and more.

2. Education: The education tax rate is established by the Province. The local school boards are responsible for determining how school taxes are spent.

3. Region: Police, maintenance of major roads, transit, waste management, social services, childcare, public health and ambulance, and more.

Budget Pressures

Pickering, like the rest of the Province, continues to face financial realities like inflation, high interest rates, labour shortages, and legislative changes that are further impacting municipal capacity to deliver services and invest in infrastructure.

Exploring Funding Sources

While property taxes are the City of Pickering's main source of revenue, the City seeks out other funding opportunities to help relieve the residential tax load. This includes:

1. Actively seeking and applying for eligible funding and grant programs from both the Federal and Provincial governments.

2. Naming rights partnerships.

3. The City’s Municipal Contribution Agreement with Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation, in which it receives revenues for hosting the Pickering Casino Resort.

Since Pickering Casino Resort opened in July 2021, OLG has issued non-tax gaming revenue payments to the City of Pickering for hosting the facility, as part of its Municipal Contribution Agreement with Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation (OLG). Pickering also shares a portion of this revenue with the Region of Durham.

Casino revenues have been used and/or are planned to be used for both Current and Capital Budget items like:

  • Funding for community groups as part of the City’s Community Grants Program
  • Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex O'Brien Arena Renovation
  • Central Library Lobby Retrofit
  • Dunbarton Pool Roof and Structure Replacement
  • Bay Ridges Kinsmen Park Soccer Turf Replacement and Beverley Morgan Park Track Replacement
  • Snow Clearing Program for Seniors & Persons with Disabilities
  • Accessible Pedestrian Signals
  • Dorsay Community & Heritage Centre
  • Beachfront Park Master Plan
  • Tennis Court Flooring Replacement at Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex

How does the budget work?

Every year, City of Pickering approves the Current (also known as the Operating) and Capital Budgets. The Current and Capital Budgets outline how the City will use its revenues to deliver services to residents. The Current Budget focuses on day-to-day expenses, while the Capital Budget covers major infrastructure and equipment requirements.

Property taxes are the City of Pickering's main source of revenue. The property tax levy is the amount of money that the City requires to provide services such as snow clearing, road repair, emergency services, parks maintenance, and libraries, to name a few.

Watch a short video on how municipalities build their budget:


Capital Budget

The Capital Budget is used for long-term investments, like infrastructure and facilities, that are paid off over time. This includes projects related to roads, bridges and sidewalks, vehicles and equipment, streetlights, playgrounds, and trails. It includes new infrastructure projects as well as the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure.

Take a look back at 2024’s key infrastructure projects:


Take a look back at 2023's key infrastructure projects:


Take a look back at 2022’s key infrastructure projects:


Current Budget

The Current Budget, also known as an Operating Budget, covers the day-to-day expenses required to deliver services to residents. These costs can return year-after-year and include services such as roads, parks, and sport field maintenance, staffing and utilities for City facilities like libraries and community centres, and fire services.

Most of the funds for the Current Budget are raised through property taxes and the remainder comes from a variety of sources like user and permit fees and licences. This budget is prepared by each municipal department and reflects that area of responsibility.

Strong Mayor Powers

The Mayor has special powers and duties under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c. 25 and in accordance with O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg. 580/22. Part of these special powers includes the ability to prepare and propose the City’s budget, subject to possible Council amendments, and the Mayor’s ability to veto such amendments, which are subject to an override process that may be accomplished by two-thirds of the Council. As such, Mayor Ashe has provided Direction to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Director, Finance & Treasurer pertaining to the 2026 City of Pickering Budget. View Direction.

Legislative framework governing the Mayor’s special powers and duties under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c. 25

Under O. Reg. 530/22, the Mayor is required to propose the budget by February 1st. After the Mayor proposes the budget, Council can pass resolutions to amend the budget within 30 days. The Mayor may veto a Council budget resolution within 10 days after the expiry of the amendment time frame. Council may then attempt to override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds majority vote, within 15 days after the expiry of the Mayor’s veto time frame (under the legislation these time frames may be shortened). At the end of this process, the resulting budget is “deemed” to be adopted by the municipality. Learn more.

See Schedule A (page 40) of the Procedure By-law for excerpts from the Municipal Act (the “Act”), pertaining to the exercise of the Special Powers and duties provided to the Mayor as the Head of Council for the City of Pickering. The provisions that follow are provided to inform Council and the public on the process to be carried out when the Special Powers are utilized. These Special Powers, commonly referred to as “Strong Mayor Powers”, are exercised under provincial legislation and take precedence over the normal rules of procedure outlined in this By-law, where applicable.

What were the 2025 Budget Highlights?

In 2025, the City's portion of the residential property tax bill increased by 1.15 percent.

This equates to $82.62 on the average assessed home in Pickering of $586,000.

This increase, when combined with the Region of Durham and School Board increases, resulted in an average increase of 5.26 percent on the total property tax bill (based on the Durham Region approved levy increase of 7.4%).

  • The 2025 Current Budget is $94,227,956
  • The 2025 Capital Budget is $96,939,550

A general rule of thumb for calculating property tax is to multiply your assessed value (or purchase price if recent) by the current tax rate. For example, if you paid $586,000 for your house, your taxes would be: $586,000 x 2025 Residential Tax Rate (0.01288240) = $7,549.09

Educational Videos

Take a look through our videos below to get a better understanding of each topic.

Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 101 - learn more about how your property tax is calculated.

Quick Links

  • 2026 Budget Engagement - What we Heard

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    2026 Budget Engagement: What We Heard Summary

    Below is a summary of key themes from the 2026 budget engagement activities.

    The focus was on education, awareness, and providing residents with an accessible way to share general feedback, which was provided to Mayor Ashe and the City’s Treasurer for consideration in preparing the 2026 budgets.

    • Let’s Talk Pickering project site visitors: 1,440+
    • Social awareness and education
      1. 540+ Engagements (engagements includes likes, comments, and shares on Facebook, Instagram, and X, as well as eNewsletter click throughs)
      2. 40,500+ Reach (reach is the total number of social media users who have seen the content)

    About This Input

    Residents provided open-ended comments through Let’s Talk Pickering, the City’s online engagement platform.

    This tool is designed for quick pulse checks, idea-gathering, and identifying high-level themes among engaged participants.

    This should not be interpreted as a statistically representative sample of Pickering’s full population.

    1. Property Taxes and Affordability
    This was the most frequent theme.
    Residents expressed strong concerns about increasing property taxes, pressure on affordability, and a desire for minimal or inflation-level increases. Several highlighted concerns that rising costs were not matched by tangible service improvements. Many asked for greater transparency and fiscal restraint.

    2. Growth, Development, and Pace of Intensification
    Many residents raised concerns about rapid development. This included apprehension about condominium density, pressure on neighbourhood character, and loss of greenspace. Residents requested more measured development and stronger alignment between growth and supporting infrastructure.

    3. Traffic, Roads, and Transportation Planning
    Traffic was identified as a major quality-of-life issue. Residents highlighted congestion related to Brock Road, Kingston Road, Seaton, and major development areas. They requested improved traffic flow, better road maintenance, safer cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and stronger long-term planning.

    4. Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities
    Residents emphasized the value of recreational amenities. They requested improvements or expansions to arenas, ice pads, pools, and community centres, as well as stronger maintenance of existing assets. Some comments offered specific concerns or suggestions about facilities such as Delaney Ice Rink.

    5. Seniors’ Needs and Aging in Place
    A strong theme came from older adults or those advocating for them. Comments focused on aging in place, affordability challenges, improved accessibility in public spaces, and programming that supports seniors’ wellbeing.

    6. Community Safety and Enforcement
    Residents shared concerns about crime, break-ins, and general safety in some neighbourhoods. They requested more visible enforcement, better coordination with policing, and stronger measures to address speeding, parking issues, and youth-related disturbances.

    7. Infrastructure Capacity and Long-Term Planning
    Several residents noted concerns about whether public infrastructure can support ongoing growth. Feedback referenced roads, stormwater systems, transit integration, school capacity, and healthcare access. Respondents emphasized the importance of long-term planning for sustainability and livability.

    8. Environmental Protection and Greenspace
    Residents expressed strong interest in protecting natural areas, including trails, forests, farmland, and the waterfront. Comments supported tree planting, urban greening initiatives, and ensuring environmental impacts are considered in planning decisions.

    9. Community Services and Events
    Residents suggested expanding library services, cultural programs, and local events. Some encouraged more support for agritourism and activities that strengthen community identity and small businesses.

    10. Transit and Connectivity
    Comments highlighted limited transit options and the need for stronger connections with GO Transit, Durham Region Transit, and TTC links. Residents also raised concerns about how limited transit options affect young people who rely on buses to access school, work, programs, and social activities.

    Overall Tone and Sentiment
    Feedback was concerned but constructive. Residents expressed a desire for prudent financial management, balanced growth, and stronger protection of quality-of-life features. There was appreciation for existing parks and recreation amenities, coupled with expectations for more responsive infrastructure planning and clearer communication.

    Examples of Specific Resident Suggestions
    Residents offered a range of detailed ideas and location-specific suggestions. While these reflect individual input rather than broad themes, they help illustrate the types of issues residents are thinking about. Please note that some roads listed are under the Region of Durham’s jurisdiction and not the City of Pickering’s.

    Examples include:

    • Interest in the future of the Twyn Rivers bridge and questions about whether a replacement is planned.
    • Requests for improvements or repairs to Delaney Ice Rink, including lighting and maintenance.
    • Concerns about road conditions north of Taunton Road and requests for resurfacing in specific neighbourhoods.
    • Suggestions to widen Brock Road north of Taunton to improve traffic flow.
    • Expressed strong support for the new Seaton Recreation Complex & Library, noting they are pleased the project is moving forward and view its future programming and community resources as essential for the area.
    • Requests for additional lighting, traffic calming, or pedestrian safety measures in select areas.
    • Suggestions to expand or improve library services and community programming
    • Interest in additional recreation facilities, including pools, splash pads, and indoor amenities.
    • Suggestions related to agritourism, local business support, and unique cultural or tourism opportunities.

    Additional Notes

    • Participants provided thoughtful input and demonstrated strong interest in Pickering’s future.
    • The themes reflect the views of engaged residents and should not be interpreted as representative of the full population.
    • These findings should complement other data sources including capital condition reports, long-term financial planning, and departmental service needs.
    • The feedback will help inform budget planning, communication priorities, and future engagement efforts.

  • 2026 Budget Explainer

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    Pickering remains committed to being an inclusive and welcoming city where residents feel supported, especially as affordability continues to be top of mind for many households. Even as we grow, we continue to have the lowest residential property tax rate among Durham Region’s lakeshore municipalities, a position we have held for many years.

    Growth brings new opportunities for community well-being. It also requires balanced and responsible investment in amenities that improve quality of life, such as pools, arenas, libraries, parks, and recreation spaces that serve our diverse and evolving community.

    Proposed 2026 Budget Highlights

    The total property tax bill in 2026 is going up by 4.82 percent, made up of a 1.06 percent City share and a 3.76 percent Region share.

    When you pay property taxes, that money gets split between the following:

    • Region of Durham: 57.82 percent of your bill
    • City of Pickering: 30.30 percent of your bill
    • Boards of Education: 11.88 percent of your bill


    City of Pickering

    • The City is increasing its own budget by 3.49 percent
    • Since the City represents 30.30 percent of your bill, that equals about a 1.06 percent increase on your total tax bill
    • The average 2026 residential tax increase will be $76.70 (City share) based on a residential assessment of $563,000.


    Durham Region

    • The Region is increasing its budget by 6.5 percent
    • Since they make up the biggest chunk of your bill, that equals about a 3.76 percent increase on your total tax bill

    School Boards

    • At this time, we are assuming no increase for the School Boards.

    Key investments

    The City’s portion supports rising operating costs while investing in the infrastructure, programs, and services that strengthen Pickering’s quality of life, such as:

    • Opening and operating the Dorsay Community and Heritage Centre
    • Design and tender for Fire Hall 5 replacement
    • Design of the new Seaton Recreation Complex & Library
    • Expanded winter pathway maintenance
    • Major road resurfacing projects
    • Ongoing improvements to parks and public spaces

    How your residential property tax bill is split

    (Example: home assessed at $586,000)

    When you pay property taxes, the City does not keep the full amount. Your tax bill is allocated across three levels of service:

    Region of Durham

    • 57.82 percent or $4,366.45
    • Funds police and paramedic services, transit, waste management, social assistance, child care, social housing, homes for the aged, and public health.

    City of Pickering

    • 30.30 percent or $2,285.91
    • Funds fire services, libraries, community programs, recreation centres, road maintenance, parks, animal services, by-law enforcement, street lights, and storm sewers.

    Boards of Education

    • 11.88 percent or $896.73
    • The education tax rate is set by the Province, and local school boards determine how education funds are allocated.

    Total residential property taxes: $7,549.09

    For every tax dollar paid, the City of Pickering retains about 30.30 cents. The remaining approximately 70 cents supports regional services and education.

    (This example uses 2025 tax rates. Final 2026 property tax rates are approved by Council in April)

    Learn more

    Residents can explore the full details at pickering.ca/budget for the 2026 Mayor's Proposed Capital and Current Budgets and the 2027 to 2035 Forecast.

Page last updated: 20 Jan 2026, 09:07 AM