Mississauga’s 2026 Budget Approved:
What Residents Need to Know
Last updated: Feb 3, 2026
Mississauga’s 2026 City Budget was formally approved on January
28, 2026, following an accelerated budget process under Ontario’s Strong
Mayor Powers legislation.
What the 2026 Budget Means for
Property Taxes
Because the City of Mississauga is part of the Region of Peel,
residential property taxes include both City and Regional
components.
For 2026, the approved increases are as follows:
Region of Peel increase: 3.60%
City’s share of the residential
property tax increase: 1.61%
Total residential property tax
increase for 2026: 5.21%
The City’s portion of the increase (1.61%) is below the current rate
of inflation. When combined with the Region of Peel’s increase, the overall
residential property tax increase for 2026 is 5.21%, which is
approximately four percentage points lower than the increase in 2025,
and approximately 5% of the initially anticipated increase.
Original estimates indicated that the overall tax increase would be in
the 10% range again this year, however with some costs deferred, or paused,
many have dubbed this is an “elections year budget.”
Election Year Context
Municipal election years have historically followed a recognizable
pattern in Mississauga and other municipalities. In these years, property tax
increases are often lower than initially projected, not because overall
costs have declined, but because certain expenditures are deferred,
temporary reductions are applied, or revenues are adjusted to moderate the tax
impact for that year.
In the case of the 2026 budget, the lower increase was achieved
through a combination of deferring expenses, reducing or pausing
selected budget items, and using funds from City reserves.
Collectively, these measures resulted in an estimated $17.4 million
reduction to the 2026 tax impact. These actions represent timing and
funding adjustments rather than permanent cost savings, and much of this
amount has already been forecast to reappear in the 2027 budget.
It is also important to note that funds drawn from reserves must
eventually be replenished. As a result, the use of reserves in one year can
place additional pressure on future budgets when those balances are restored.
Key one-time
measures in the 2026 budget include
Because these measures apply only for 2026, they do not reduce long-term
costs and will need to be addressed in future budgets once the temporary
adjustments expire.
As 2026 is a municipal election year, with elections scheduled for
October 2026, residents may wish to consider how candidates propose to
manage costs, control expenditures, and address affordability in future years.
Over the past six years, property taxes in Mississauga have increased by
approximately 40 per cent, and early projections suggest that 2027
budget pressures could again approach the high single-digit or low double-digit
range.
The Rockwood Residents’ Association, along with other resident
associations across the city, will continue to monitor budget discussions and
review candidates’ proposals related to fiscal management, cost control, and
long-term affordability, particularly for the non-election-year budgets
that follow.
What This Means in Dollar Terms
To help put the increase into perspective:
The 2026 increase equals
approximately $53.91 for every $100,000 of assessed home value.
For a home assessed at $700,000,
this represents an increase of approximately $377.37 for the year.
When Will Residents See the 2026 Tax
Increase?
How and when you see the 2026 property tax
increase depends on how you pay. Residents on the monthly pre-authorized
payment plan pay estimated amounts from January to May based on the
previous year’s taxes, with the increase reflected starting in June,
when payments are adjusted to collect the full 2026 amount by year-end.
Residents who pay by installments (interim and final billing) receive an
interim bill based on the prior year’s taxes, followed by a final bill once
2026 rates are set; the increase then appears in the remaining installments
for the year. In both cases, the total annual tax paid is the same—only
the timing of the increase differs.
Looking Ahead
While the 2026 budget is now finalized, discussions about affordability,
service priorities, and long-term fiscal sustainability are expected to
continue throughout the year. These will be a factor as residents make
decisions in the upcoming election.
The Rockwood Residents’ Association (RRA) will continue to keep residents
informed as more information becomes available.
