2026 Business Plan & Budget

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Working Together for Elgin County

As your County government, we provide regional services that benefit everyone across Elgin County. These include County roads and bridges, emergency medical services (EMS), long-term care homes, libraries, economic development, tourism, planning, and funding towards social services and public health.

We work closely with our seven local municipalities, which are West Elgin, Dutton Dunwich, Southwold, Central Elgin, Aylmer, Malahide, and Bayham. The breakdown of how services are delivered and how we work together to support our communities can be found in the graphic below.

The County’s annual Business Plan and Budget guide how County services are funded and delivered responsibly for the year ahead.

How the Budget Works

The County’s budget shows how your tax dollars and other revenues are used to run programs, maintain infrastructure, and invest in projects. It includes:

  • Operating Costs: These include both the base operating budget and any service level changes. The base budget covers the day-to-day costs of running County services such as facility operations, programming, staff wages, supplies, and contracted services like EMS and Social Services. Service level changes are adjustments to the base budget that increase or reduce spending, such as hiring new staff or adding programs beyond the previous year’s levels.
  • Capital Investments: Long-term projects that improve infrastructure, replace equipment, and extend the life of County assets.
  • Revenue Sources: Funding comes from the County tax levy, provincial and federal grants, user fees, and other revenues.

How the Budget is Funded

Your property taxes help pay for County services. Both your local municipality and the County collect taxes to fund the services each provides. The County levy is collected by local municipalities through a single property tax bill and then transferred to the County. The same bill also includes education taxes, which go to local school boards. The County also receives provincial and federal grants and user fees to help offset the cost of municipal programs and services.

How the Budget is Created

The budget is developed in several steps over a few months:

  1. Department Planning: Each department reviews needs and projects for the year ahead.
  2. Finance Committee Review: County Councillors review department budgets, operating costs, service level changes, and capital projects.
  3. Public Consultation: Residents and businesses can provide feedback through an online survey or by attending the public consultation meeting.
  4. Council Approval: County Council approves the final budget, which guides operations for the year.

See the 2026 Budget Process Timeline for all key dates.

How You Can Participate

Your input matters. You can become involved through any of the following options:

  • Complete the Budget Survey online (available Dec 4 – Dec 11)
  • Attend or watch Finance Committee and Council meetings
  • Join the Public Consultation Meeting to share feedback directly with Council

What Happens After Approval

Once approved, departments begin implementing funded programs and projects. County staff track progress throughout the year to ensure your tax dollars are used responsibly.



Working Together for Elgin County

As your County government, we provide regional services that benefit everyone across Elgin County. These include County roads and bridges, emergency medical services (EMS), long-term care homes, libraries, economic development, tourism, planning, and funding towards social services and public health.

We work closely with our seven local municipalities, which are West Elgin, Dutton Dunwich, Southwold, Central Elgin, Aylmer, Malahide, and Bayham. The breakdown of how services are delivered and how we work together to support our communities can be found in the graphic below.

The County’s annual Business Plan and Budget guide how County services are funded and delivered responsibly for the year ahead.

How the Budget Works

The County’s budget shows how your tax dollars and other revenues are used to run programs, maintain infrastructure, and invest in projects. It includes:

  • Operating Costs: These include both the base operating budget and any service level changes. The base budget covers the day-to-day costs of running County services such as facility operations, programming, staff wages, supplies, and contracted services like EMS and Social Services. Service level changes are adjustments to the base budget that increase or reduce spending, such as hiring new staff or adding programs beyond the previous year’s levels.
  • Capital Investments: Long-term projects that improve infrastructure, replace equipment, and extend the life of County assets.
  • Revenue Sources: Funding comes from the County tax levy, provincial and federal grants, user fees, and other revenues.

How the Budget is Funded

Your property taxes help pay for County services. Both your local municipality and the County collect taxes to fund the services each provides. The County levy is collected by local municipalities through a single property tax bill and then transferred to the County. The same bill also includes education taxes, which go to local school boards. The County also receives provincial and federal grants and user fees to help offset the cost of municipal programs and services.

How the Budget is Created

The budget is developed in several steps over a few months:

  1. Department Planning: Each department reviews needs and projects for the year ahead.
  2. Finance Committee Review: County Councillors review department budgets, operating costs, service level changes, and capital projects.
  3. Public Consultation: Residents and businesses can provide feedback through an online survey or by attending the public consultation meeting.
  4. Council Approval: County Council approves the final budget, which guides operations for the year.

See the 2026 Budget Process Timeline for all key dates.

How You Can Participate

Your input matters. You can become involved through any of the following options:

  • Complete the Budget Survey online (available Dec 4 – Dec 11)
  • Attend or watch Finance Committee and Council meetings
  • Join the Public Consultation Meeting to share feedback directly with Council

What Happens After Approval

Once approved, departments begin implementing funded programs and projects. County staff track progress throughout the year to ensure your tax dollars are used responsibly.


Budget Glossary

Amortization
Gradually writing off the initial cost of an asset over its useful life.

Asset(s)
Property owned by the County that has value, such as land, buildings, or equipment.

Assessment Value
A property's value as determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

Base Budget
The portion of the operating budget that covers day-to-day costs of County services, including staff wages, supplies, facility operations, programming, and contracted services such as EMS and Social Services.

Budget Consultation
Opportunities for residents to provide input on proposed budgets before Council approval.

Capital Assets
Property, facilities, structures, and equipment owned by the County, such as land, buildings, and machinery.

Capital Budget
The annual plan for purchasing and financing capital assets.

Capital Expenditure Forecast
A 10-year financial plan that projects future spending on long-term assets such as property, equipment, and technology to maintain and improve County services (see Elgin County's Asset Management Plan)

Capital Fund
The portion of a capital project paid for through borrowing or drawing from the County’s reserves.

Capital Project
A specific initiative to purchase, repair, or improve a capital asset.

County Levy
The portion of property taxes collected by local municipalities and transferred to the County to fund regional services.

Financial Forecasting
Estimating the County’s future financial outcomes based on past performance and current data.

Infrastructure
Physical assets such as roads, bridges, and County facilities that support services.

Operating Budget
Revenue and expenses that support County services. This includes both the base budget and service level changes.

Operating Costs
Total day-to-day costs of County services, including base budget and service level changes.

Public Engagement
Activities where residents can share feedback, such as surveys or consultation meetings.

Reserves
Funds set aside for future expenditures, emergencies, or specific projects.

Service Level Changes
Adjustments to the base operating budget that increase or reduce spending, such as adding programs, expanding services, or hiring additional staff.

Tax Increase
An increase in property taxes based on changes in property values or County funding requirements. Learn more through MPAC’s Understanding Your Assessment video: https://youtu.be/nrWry5i3TBU

Tax Ratios
The relationship between the tax rate for each property class and the residential property class. Ratios help distribute the tax burden among different property types, with the residential class set at a value of one (1).

Tax Rate
The percentage applied to the taxable assessment of your property, expressed to six decimal places.

Taxation
Revenue collected by the County through property taxes.


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Page last updated: 17 Nov 2025, 12:21 PM