Finance and Taxes

Questions? Call Jennifer Muoka at 613-257-6218 or email her at jmuoka@carletonplace.ca

Useful Forms and Documents

2026 Budget Approval

The Province has expanded Regulation 530/22 to the Town of Carleton Place, and therefore, the budget process now falls under Strong Mayor Powers. Under these powers, Mayor Randell provided the following directions to staff regarding the 2026 Budget Process:

Mayoral Direction
Mayor Toby Randell Mayoral Direction 2025-001 directs the Chief Administrative Officer and the Treasurer to:

Prepare and table the recommended business plans and operating and capital budgets for 2026, for communication to Council and the public no later than October 31st, 2025; and
Follow the process and timelines as described in Treasurer’s report, Strong Mayor Powers and 2026 Budget Process, dated August 26th, 2025; and
Continue to consult him on the progress of the budget and business plans as requested.

Budget Timeline in Consultation with the Mayor
Staff prepared the following planned budget timing, which met the required approved timeframes:

October 21st, 2025 – Mayor’s Budget Tabled: Publication (in the form of the budget for the November 13th, 2025, meeting) of the budget to each member of Council, the Clerk and the public, which met the requirements for the Mayor to propose the budget. The 30-day time limit for Council to propose amendments to the budget began. Council may shorten the 30-day time limit.

November 4th, 2025 – Regular Council Meeting – Council can make amendments to the budget if the time limit has not been shortened by Council motion. Council did not pass a motion to shorten the 30-day period.

November 13th, 2025 – Council Budget Meeting – Presentation of the budget by the Mayor and Staff. Council may make amendments to the budget. Council did not pass a resolution to shorten the 30-day period.

November 20th, 2025 – Council Budget Meeting – 30-Day Deadline for Council Amendments – Council approved amendments to the budget and passed a motion to shorten the timeframe for budget approval to November 20th, 2025.

November 25th, 2025 – Mayor Randell issued a Mayoral direction under the Municipal Act to waive the period of Mayoral veto of Council budget amendments. The budget is therefore deemed adopted by Council.

By virtue of the steps taken above and approved by resolutions of Council during the November 25th, 2025, Council meeting, Council has approved a tax rate increase of 1.95%. The increase is required to cover rising infrastructure renewal and service delivery costs. The 1.95% increase will result in an annual increase of $45.19 per year, or $3.77 per month, based on a home assessed at $293,000.

The summary below represents the first draft of the Town’s proposed 2026 budget. Department managers will present their budgets in detail to Council at a full-day budget meeting on November 13^th, 2025, starting at 9:00 a.m. Citizens are invited to make comments to the Treasurer regarding the budget by emailing tmcconkey@carletonplace.ca on or before November 18^th. Any comments received will be provided to Council at the 2^nd budget meeting to take place on November 20^th, 2025, starting at 9:00 a.m. Citizens can attend any meeting in person, at Town Hall (175 Bridge Street) or view live online via Zoom.

List of Proposed Capital Projects for 2026

2026 DRAFT BUDGET SUMMARY	AMOUNT	% CHANGE

2025 Tax Levy	-16,486,530
Growth Estimate	-319,884	2%
3% Tax Rate Increase	-494,596	3%
Draft Operating Revenue	-5,823,285	12%
Funding from Reserves**	-407,490

Draft Operating Expenditures	19,557,934	5%
Additional Staffing Proposals	145,974
Library Allocation	403,178	3%
Asset Management Plan (AMP) Projects	2,864,500
AMP Reserve Funding	-1,154,125
Tax Funded Strategic Projects	1,088,668
Payments on Internal Debt	625,656

Total Required from Strategic Reserve	0

2026 Budget – Overview Presentation

Due Dates

Taxes

First business day of the following months:

March
June
September
November

How to Pay your Taxes:

Directly at your bank
Use online or telephone banking (ask how at your bank or credit union)
Drop your payment off in the mail slot at the police station (15 Coleman Street)
Pay in person at the Town Hall (175 Bridge Street)
Online using Virtual Town Hall

Bill or Statement Reprint

Effective January 1st, 2025, as per By-law 74-2024, there is a $25.00 fee for each reprint for copies of bills or statements for both tax and water accounts.

You can obtain copies of your bills and account transactions for free through Virtual Town Hall.

Go to https://vch.aspgov.com/CarletonPlace/vch/ to create a login.

Tax Certificates

Tax Certificates are $50 and made payable to the Town of Carleton Place.

A tax certificate to be issued as a rush, within 24 hours, is a $100.00 fee.

Financial Statements

Tax Rate By-Laws

Discontinuation of Vacant Unit Tax Rebate Program

In 2017, the Province announced that municipal rebates for vacant commercial and industrial properties and excess commercial and industrial land are no longer mandatory. In 2019, Lanark County Treasurers asked Lanark County to begin the process to apply to the Province to eliminate these rebates throughout Lanark County. County Council supported this action on September 4, 2019.

On November 10, 2020, Lanark County received notification from the Ministry of Finance that instead of preparing the regulations to implement the County’s requested changes to eliminate the exemptions, the Provincial Government would be enacting changes to the Municipal Act that would enable municipalities to modify the vacancy rebate and reduction programs at the local level through municipal by-law. These changes to The Act received Royal Assent on December 8, 2020.

Property owners submitting applications in 2020 (for rebates of 2019 taxes) we informed verbally that the program would be unavailable in 2021 (for rebates of 2020 taxes).

On Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 By-law No. 43-2021 to discontinue the Vacant Unit Tax Rebate Program for owners of vacant commercial / industrial property or portions thereof was passed.

Significant Policies and Documents

Asset Management Plan

In 2012, Ontario’s Ministry of Infrastructure released a guide titled Building Together, Guide for Municipal Asset Management Plans. This guide forms part of a comprehensive strategy called the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) which aims to develop a strong and cooperative relationship between municipalities and the Province of Ontario to address the significant challenges that currently face our deteriorating infrastructure. The Town of Carleton Place’s AMP provides a detailed examination of all of the major assets owned by the Town including:

Sewer and Water Systems
Transportation
Stormwater Systems
Streetlights and Traffic Signals
Fleet
Facilities and Property

This Asset Management Plan not only addresses sustaining the existing infrastructure over a period of 100 years, it also outlines future plans for each asset and specifically explains expansion plans for assets to meet demands when required.

Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – Property Taxation & Assessment 101 Video

The property taxation and assessment system involves critical roles from both MPAC and municipalities when it comes to determining property tax amounts. To help provide clarity for property owners on how these taxes are calculated, including the link between property assessment, municipal service costs and required property taxes, watch MPAC’s helpful and informative new video.

MPAC – Frequently Asked Questions

School Support Designation