The municipal tax levy is increasing by 3.99 per cent in 2026 in Alfred and Plantagenet.

The 2026 budget for the township was adopted by council at a special meeting on December 16, 2025.

The 3.99 per cent increase was part of the first draft of the budget presented to council at a special meeting on December 11. There were no changes made at that time which affected the levy increase. The impact of the levy increase on the average household in Alfred and Plantagenet is estimated at $70 for the entire year, or just below $6 per month.

The 2026 budget totals $22,182,173, comprised of $14,469,713 in operating expenses and $7,713,000 in capital expenditures. The water and sewer budget is $4,944,198. The water and sewer rates for 2026 are to be adopted by council during January.

The most significant capital project in Alfred and Plantagenet during 2026 is infrastructure development at the new industrial park in Wendover. A total of $2,800,000 has been allocated for that purpose. However, the budget identifies that no source of financing for that work has yet been determined.

Work will continue at the site of the new fire station in Alfred in 2026. For that project, $2,025,000 has been allocated using reserves and borrowing.

Resurfacing work will be done on four rural roads this year. Those roads are Concession 4 Plantagenet, Concession 4 Alfred, Concession 5 Alfred, and Lake George Road. One culvert each will be replaced in Wendover and on Blue Corner Road. The road projects are to be financed through a combination of tax revenue, grants, and reserve funds.

A series of upgrades totaling $245,500 will be made at the Community Hall in Alfred, which the township assumed ownership of in 2024. The facility was formerly the Knights of Columbus Hall. Grant funding, reserves, donations, and tax revenue are being used to cover the cost of the community hall upgrades.

Councillor Ian Walker, who has voted against adoption of the past two budgets, said he would be voting to adopt the 2026 budget. However, he cautioned that the township needs to find some significant savings and make cuts to services in future years.

“We have a lot of parks, we have a lot of buildings, I believe something has to change with that to make us more efficient in the long-term,” Walker said.

He also alleged that the township is being “scammed” for what it pays for police and what it receives in return for taxation from the United Counties of Prescott and Russell.

There were no other comments from council members prior to the adoption of the 2026 budget bylaw.