Council Preview 2026 Capital Budget
By John Swartz
Orillia council meets at 9 a.m. Monday October 20. This is because of extra meetings for the 2026 budget and the normally scheduled regular council.
The first order of business is a special meeting to ratify the amendments council wanted to the mayor’s budget proposal which were the subject of a special meeting October 14. The details of each amendment were outlined in SUNonline/Orillia’s preview here.
Of the 11 amendments from that meeting, two were withdrawn (Councillor Tim Lauer’s proposal to pave the unnamed road branching from Cedar Island Road ending at the Champlain Sailing Club; and councillor Jay Fallis’s amendment to increase the climate change budget). A third amendment, Fallis’s request to buy another sidewalk snow plow/blower, failed to get council support.
Council ratifies their vote on the remainder of the amendments today. Council also has a report from staff regarding the established process resulting from the province imposing strong mayor powers on the City and how it plays out regarding budget approvals.
Council previously adopted a budget meeting schedule and due dates for challenges to the budget. The capital budget would reach its adoption stage November 17 once the amendment, veto, and veto override process runs its course.
However, a report authored by Dan Kirby, the city’s director of council services, assistant city solicitor provides a timeline alteration if council adopts it.
It’s interesting to note, the Municipal Act states very clearly municipalities are required to have a chief administrative officer, a clerk, and a treasurer and does not qualify any other designated staff titles (such as director of parks and rec, public works, etc. – or director of council services/assistant city solicitor for that matter). Kirby is effectively the City’s clerk, yet he does not use the title and only one instance of using the title clerk can be found on a press release from July and no other case on the City’s website or staff directories turns up. This may put the City in contravention of the Municipal Act if he is not officially the City’s clerk.
The report outlines council can make the adoption of the capital budget effective October 20, the date of today’s meeting. The report also states the mayor can waive his veto power effective today. Both have to occur in order for the budget to be ‘written in stone’.
What this means is the original drop dead date of November 17 does not apply, (and unlike previous years adopting the budget mid December, or before that mid-February) and allows staff to move ahead with setting 2026 projects in motion – chiefly going to tender. The intention is to get ahead of other municipalities lining up contractors to do things like road work and construction at a time when those companies might set lower prices for the work needed.
For example, the road resurfacing file listed several resurfacing projects at $1 million budget, but also showed three projects below the line which may be viable to do in 2026 should tender amounts come in lower than expected.
It also could mean Mayor Don McIsaac does not intend to veto any of the amendments for council to formally adopt earlier in the meeting. By adopting the recommended motion, the ability of the mayor to veto any amendments shifts from the 22nd to today and the capital budget is set.
However, if the mayor indicates he is vetoing any of the amendments, the original schedule applies.
Next a public meeting for community engagement for 2026 budget preparation is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. The first question is how is it possible for the first special meeting could eat 4 hours (presumably with time out for lunch)? The agenda for the public meeting lists no reports or correspondence. It also does not show a forum (step up to the mic) allowance. Council previously adopted a schedule for several public meetings be held for public input and this is one of those meetings, there will be others relating to the operating and services budgets.
Council cannot start the regular meeting until 2 p.m., so expect long periods of not much happening.
Council meetings are open to the public or can be watched on the City’s Youtube channel.
The preview for the regular meeting will be posted under separate cover.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
