The Town of Sidney aims to balance the provision of high quality services with affordable taxes for residents and businesses.
Current and previous financial plans can be found below. The plans are developed on an annual basis and look ahead to the next five years, as required by the Community Charter.
2026-2030 Financial Plan
The Draft 2026-2030 Financial Plan was introduced to Council and the public at the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 17.
The draft financial plan started out with a proposed general tax increase of 12.4%. This amount included several internal and external requests that have not yet been approved by Council, and was a starting point for budget deliberations.
The higher-than-average increases over the past two budget years reflect a number of factors outlined in the budget documentation below, including a return to more appropriate taxation levels after pandemic-related reductions and the conclusion of temporary funding that had supported budgets since 2020.
At the March 3 Regular Council meeting, Council’s initial review of the budget reduced the proposed tax increase to 11.76% by declining several initiatives and funding others from internal reserves. Council also directed staff to bring forward options at the March 16 budget meeting to reduce the increase to below 10%. Additional changes to the draft budget may be considered at that time.
Resources:
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 – Initial Budget Consideration
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – Budget Introduction
Note: These items are meant to be considered together. Reviewing the Draft 2026 Financial Plan on its own may not provide enough context without the accompanying Budget Presentation.
Upcoming Meeting
- Monday, March 16, 2026 – Budget Deliberations
Special Council Meeting at 6:00 pm
The meetings will be held in the Council Chambers at Sidney Town Hall (2440 Sidney Avenue). Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are also live-streamed on the Town’s Meeting Portal.
Public Input
The Town of Sidney welcomes your feedback on the draft 2026 Budget. Members of the public are invited to:
- Speak at the March 3 or March 16, 2026 meetings in person or via Zoom.
Register to speak via Zoom by emailing admin@sidney.ca no later than noon on the day of the meeting. Registration is not required for those speaking in person at the meeting. - Send written comments to admin@sidney.ca.
Questions about the budget? Contact the Finance Department: