Mississauga's 2026 budget is nearing the finish line. Budget Committee met again on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and any changes councillors want to make will be debated at a special council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m.

The proposed budget would raise the city's share of the property tax bill by 1.61 per cent. Combined with the Region of Peel's 3.60 per cent, the overall increase for 2026 is proposed at 5.21 per cent.

How adoption works

At the Jan. 20 meeting, Marisa Chiu, the city's commissioner of corporate services, chief financial officer and treasurer, explained how the budget is adopted under the province's strong mayor rules.

Every amendment will be voted on separately. There will not be a vote for the entire budget.

— Marisa Chiu, commissioner of corporate services and chief financial officer

The earliest possible adoption date is Feb. 4, and the latest is March 4.

Amendments had originally been slated for debate on Jan. 28. On Jan. 13, Budget Committee chose not to shorten the 30-day amendment review period, which moved that discussion to Feb. 4.

A levy for the new hospital

The budget plan also proposes a new hospital levy of one per cent a year, starting in 2029, to fund the city's $390-million contribution toward construction of the Peter Gilgan Mississauga Hospital.

The proposed levy was one of the topics residents raised at a Jan. 13 evening session, along with property taxes and affordability, the stormwater charge, reserves, the windrow clearing program, crime and policing, and calls for an independent auditor general.

Capital plan questions

On Jan. 20, the committee also received a report on proposed adjustments to the 2026 capital budget and 10-year capital plan. Staff answered questions about funding for road rehabilitation, noise walls and sports courts, the timing of waterfront park projects, and the impact of a two per cent reduction to the Capital Infrastructure and Debt Repayment Levy.

The proposed budget lowers that levy from three per cent to one per cent for one year and pauses the one per cent Public Safety Fire Program levy for a year. It also counts on $17.4 million in budgeted savings, and staff told the committee on Jan. 12 that $33 million would be drawn from the city's Fiscal Stability Reserve.

Written questions from a resident association drew staff responses on Jan. 20 about debt, investment income, labour costs, transit operations and audit processes.

Residents can review the proposed budget and share feedback at mississauga.ca/budget.