Hamilton's early 2027 budget forecast shows an 8.2% average residential tax impact

The forecast

The City of Hamilton's 2027 Budget Forecast reflects an 8.2% average residential tax impact. The City's budget page says that figure rests on a $127.9 million increase in the net levy for tax-supported services, alongside a 5.48% combined increase in water, wastewater and stormwater rates.

The City is explicit that this is not a tax decision. Its 2027 budget page describes the forecast as a starting point, says the 8.2% figure "is an average based on current forecasts and is not a final tax increase", and notes that the impact on individual properties will vary with assessed value. The forecast is expected to change as Council weighs options and trade-offs.

The pressures the City names

The City says its forecast has improved but that significant pressures remain. It lists these:

• Maintaining current service levels
• Inflation and rising operating costs
• Replacing and repairing aging infrastructure
• Addressing housing and homelessness pressures
• Community well-being and public safety priorities

How 2026 turned out

For context, Mayor Andrea Horwath's proposed 2026 tax budget, released January 20, 2026, carried a 4.25 per cent residential tax increase. The City adopted the 2026 tax budget on February 24, 2026 with a 3.87 per cent residential increase, which the City puts at about $209 for the average home.

What happens next

The City's timeline, which it says is subject to change, lists the Mayor's Water Budget and Mayor's Memo for November 2026, a staff-proposed tax-supported budget and Council approval of the rate-supported (water) budget in December 2026, the Mayor's tax-supported budget in January 2027, and Council consideration and adoption of the tax budget in February 2027. The City says details on public delegations will be posted when available.

The term of the council elected on October 26, 2026 begins on November 15, 2026, so the Council budget decisions the City lists for December 2026 onward fall within the new council's term.