2026 Municipal Operating and Capital Budget
The Township is seeking public input regarding the 2026 Municipal Operating and Capital Budgets. Please review the information below, download a copy of the draft budget schedules (located in the documents section to the right of the screen), and complete the short survey attached at the bottom of this page. The deadline for your response is Wednesday, August 19th, 2026 at 5:00 pm.
If members of the public have questions or comments, they are welcome to attend the Open House Public Consultation meeting on Thursday, August 13th at 3:00 pm or to send questions in advance to treasurer@manitouwadge.ca.
This year, Administration is proposing a total levy of $4,090,700 from Property Taxation and Payments in Lieu (PIL), which is $1,962 (0.05%) less than the 2025 Municipal Budget total levy. The 2026 net budgeted cost of municipal operations is $4,448,143; Administration is proposing a budgeted use of reserves and reserve funds for operations in the amount of $357,443.
The proposed overall residential tax rate for 2026 (including Education Tax) is 7.329051%. Assuming no change in MPAC assessed value, final property tax amounts will be unchanged when compared to the 2025 taxation year.
With respect to the 2026 Capital Budget, Administration is seeking authorization for $9,486,763 in expenditures for both new and ongoing capital projects. Of this total amount, $1,277,000 would be utilized from reserves and reserve funds; $2,585,525 from long term debt; and $5,624,238 from grants and other revenue.
The total levy and tax rate as proposed for 2026 represents a stable level of taxation in line with the past ten years of property tax history in Manitouwadge:
2016: $3,699,312 – 7.38%
2017: $3,699,117 – 7.35%
2018: $3,895,463 – 7.34%
2019: $4,113,670 – 7.41%
2020: $4,219,200 – 7.41%
2021: $3,356,005 – 6.62%
2022: $3,676,442 – 6.57%
2023: $3,826,608 – 6.84%
2024: $3,965,608 – 7.05%
2025: $4,092,662 – 7.33%
2026: $4,090,700 – 7.33%
As budgeted for 2026, taxation revenue represents approximately 50% of the Township’s operating revenues, which pay for your municipal services. Despite Manitouwadge’s small size and remoteness, the Township provides a full complement of urban municipal services, including:
- Curbside garbage collection and local landfill services
- Maintenance of paved roadways, including prompt snow removal in the winter
- Full municipal water and sewer system services
- Comprehensive airport services which allow for critical medical and emergency readiness
- Fire Department services, including public education and emergency response
- Bylaw enforcement services
- Policing services through OPP funding
- Ambulance services through funding to Superior-North EMS/City of Thunder Bay
- Public health and social services through funding to Thunder Bay District Health Unit and the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board
- Library services through funding to the Manitouwadge Public Library Board
- Recreation facilities services including our hockey rink, community auditorium, curling rink, and fitness centre space, as well as community events programming
- Parks, beach, boat launch, and trails upkeep, including 11 kilometres of newly-revitalized multi-use
- Manitouwadge Municipal Golf Course, a full-service 9-hole course
- Kiwissa Ski Hill, with 94-metre vertical drop, T-bar lift, and 10 runs of varying difficulty
Print copies of the budget consultation survey and the August 6th, 2026 draft 2026 budget and 2025 variance reports presented to Council are available at the Reception Desk at the Township Office, or via request by contacting Aaron MacGregor, Treasurer at treasurer@manitouwadge.ca or (807) 826-3227 ext. 225.
To view the August 6th, 2026 Special Council Meeting where staff presented the 2026 draft Municipal Operating and Capital Budget, please follow the link below:
