Feb 09, 2026
Hospital leaders and local business community voice support for final plan
Low city tax increase with focus on services
Brampton City Council has approved the City’s 2026 budget, keeping the City’s portion of property taxes at 0 per cent and adding a 1 per cent levy dedicated to helping fund Brampton’s second hospital.
The plan keeps Brampton among the lowest-taxed municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area while continuing to support everyday services and a growing population. The City says the goal is to balance affordability with reliable services residents depend on.
Key investments across the city
The budget includes funding for more frontline safety staff, with 24 new firefighters and 14 new fire prevention officers, along with added resources for parking enforcement, road safety and rental housing compliance.
Recreation and community spaces also receive major support, including funding for the Howden Recreation Centre, improvements at Susan Fennell Sportsplex, and upgrades to parks and trails. Transit investment totals $120 million, including 44 new electric buses. The City says reserve funds remain strong to support long-term financial stability.
Mayor highlights balanced approach
Mayor Patrick Brown said the final budget reflects community priorities while keeping taxes low.
“The 2026 Budget delivers a 0% increase to the City’s portion of property taxes, maintains strong reserves and continues the dedicated 1% levy to support building Brampton’s second hospital,” Brown said. “This budget strengthens public safety, supports parks and recreation, advances economic growth, and ensures long-term stability.”
Hospital leaders also welcomed the continued support. William Osler Health System said the City’s investment will help move forward the expansion of Peel Memorial into a full second hospital and support timely, high-quality care for Brampton residents.
Residents shared input through town hall and coffee chats
Public engagement played a role in shaping the budget. The City hosted a telephone town hall and a series of community coffee chats where residents could ask questions and share feedback directly with the mayor and council.
According to a public update after the telephone town hall, more than 5,800 households took part. Polling during the event showed strong support for several key priorities, including 90 per cent supporting expanded by-law services and additional fire prevention officers, 77 per cent supporting the ongoing 1 per cent hospital levy for Brampton’s second hospital, and 39 per cent favouring maintaining current service levels even if it meant a small tax increase.
Board of Trade criticism loses ground
Earlier in the process, commentary linked to the Brampton Board of Trade questioned how a proposed 1.5 per cent tax figure was described. Vijai Singh, who works in government relations for the organization, called the number “misleading” in a public blog post tied to consultation-stage information.
However, the City’s approach reflects the common municipal practice of highlighting the city-approved portion of property taxes that Council directly controls, separate from regional and education levies set by other governments. In that context, the criticism has been widely viewed as inaccurate and not consistent with how municipal budgets are typically presented.
Board of Trade CEO Jaipaul Massey-Singh attended both the council meeting where the budget passed and the mayor’s press conference announcing the final plan. After approval, the organization signalled support for the budget’s balance of affordability and investment, echoing the generally positive tone heard from local businesses at the mayor’s recent State of the City address.
What happens next
With the 2026 budget now approved, Brampton moves ahead with a plan focused on keeping taxes low, maintaining services, and helping fund a second hospital to serve the city’s growing population.