LaSalle Releases 2026 Draft Budget

The Town of LaSalle has released the 2026 Draft Budget and Business Plan document. It is available on the Budget and Finance page of the Town’s website, and can also be viewed in person at the LaSalle Civic Centre. The public is invited to an Open House on Monday, November 17, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, in the lobby at the Vollmer Centre, to learn more about the draft budget. Members of Council and administration will be in attendance to answer questions. The draft budget will also be available for comments on PlaceSpeak on November 13.

In September of 2025, under the Strong Mayor Powers, Mayor Crystal Meloche directed the Chief Administrative Officer and the Treasurer the responsibility to prepare the proposed 2026 Capital and Operating Budgets following the principles of affordability and residential impacts, balancing needs and wants, and planning for a growing community.  

The document includes a summary of the significant changes in the proposed 2026 budget, the departmental budgets, and the capital budget. If approved:  

• The municipal levy will increase by $4.3 million, bringing the 2026 General Levy to $54.3 million (it was $50 million in 2025).   
• This increase will mean that the average single-family home which has a market value of $710,000 will see municipal taxes rise to $3,357 in 2026 (it was $3,168 in 2025). This amounts to an increase of $189 annually ($15.79 monthly) or 5.98%. 

“Although inflation is beginning to stabilize, its impact from recent years continues to be felt across the Town. In the face of these financial pressures, we remain firmly committed to investing in key areas that support our current service levels and lay the foundation for LaSalle’s future growth,” said Dale Langlois, Director of Finance/Treasurer. 

The increases include approximately:  

• $1.0 million for policing costs (ex. wages and benefits, an additional administrative staff, and inflationary changes), 
• $1.5 million for recommended enhancements (ex. funding for master plans, increased contribution to capital reserves, investments in information technology and infrastructure), and  
• $2.3 million for inflationary changes (ex. wages and benefits, insurance, garbage collection, parks and tree maintenance etc.). 

“Our priority remains delivering high-quality services, infrastructure, and programming that enrich the lives of our residents. The proposed budget reflects a careful balance—ensuring affordability for taxpayers while preserving the standard of services our community depends on,” Langlois said. 

The Province of Ontario has again postponed the municipal property assessment update, which was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2021. Property valuations for 2026 will continue to be based on the January 1, 2016 values. This means that nearly all properties in the Town will have an identical assessment value in 2026, as they did from 2020 to 2025. 

The budget session will be held on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 (if required) in Council Chambers at the LaSalle Civic Centre. Members of the public can participate in Council meetings, as well as the budget session, in-person or virtually. Comments from the public about the budget will be accepted using the Delegation Request/Written Submission Form and must be submitted by Wednesday, November 26 at 10:00 am.