Hastings County has finalized its overall budget for 2026.
Council approved a 5.3-per cent tax increase after growth at its monthly meeting Thursday following a presentation from County finance director Tony Bird.
The budget was approved at $229.8 million in operating and capital expenditures.
He said an average single-family, detached home in the county worth $195,216 will see an increase this year of about $36 in the county portion of their property taxes.
Encompassed in the total budget is a 10.4-per cent increase in the Long-Term Care department budget ($2.3 to $2.5 million), a 7.86-per cent increase in Emergency Services ($3.81 million to $4.11 million) and a 5.41-per cent hike in the Community and Human Services plan for this year ($6.8 million to $7.1 million).
Also, $55.8 million in municipal net costs allocations are spread between Belleville, Quinte West and Hastings County.
“As demand for critical services continues to grow, our departments remain focused on meeting these needs with innovation and adaptability,” the budget’s executive summary from Bird, Warden Bob Mullin, and CAO Connor Dorey read in part.
“We are committed to exploring new and effective service delivery approaches that allow us to fulfill our obligations and support our communities and residents.”
Expenses are expected this year to grow by about 3.1 per cent, or $7 million, to roughly $229.8 million, but County revenue is only expected to grow about 0.62 per cent, or one-seventh the increase in expenses.
The projected revenue is $174 million.
A full breakdown of the 2026 Hastings County budget can be found at this link.
