Keeping taxes low
Alex Nuttall is fighting to keep Barrie affordable. He held City Operations tax increases at 0% for four years, cancelled the Stormwater Charge and invested in fixing our roads. In a second term, he will keep fighting high taxes and putting affordability first.
See the affordability recordKeeping City-controlled property-tax costs down matters to Barrie families. Alex and Council held the line on City Operations, removed the separate Stormwater Charge and increased funding to fix our roads. Here is the 2023–2026 record for the budget components Council controls.
Alex’s background in finance has helped him carefully review City budgets, keep them balanced and make strategic spending decisions that protect affordability while investing in Barrie’s priorities.
City Operations Budget
Each budget for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 had a 0% City Operations tax increase. This was achieved by attracting more industrial development, creating jobs and growing the tax base. Operations taxes increased 0% over four years.
Stormwater Tax
The previous council approved a separate Stormwater Charge for introduction in 2023. Alex and the new council removed the charge during their first budget process, before it appeared on water bills.
Capital & Infrastructure Budget
The Infrastructure Fund increased by 1% in 2023, followed by 2% in 2024, 2025 and 2026, for a total of 7% over four years.
City-controlled budget components, 2023–2026
Third-lowest city in the province.
Holding the line on operations and cancelling the Stormwater Charge helped offset the investment in roads and infrastructure. Outside-agency increases are separate from this City-controlled total.
Service agencies including the watershed Conservation Authorities, Libraries, the Health Unit, Police, and County services are in control of their own budgets and send invoices to Barrie City Council.
These tax supported invoices increased by 6.78% in 2023, 8.45% in 2024, 7.29% in 2025, and 0.71% in 2026. The much smaller increase in 2026 is due to a change in amortization schedule that Alex requested from the County of Simcoe. Total compounded increase is 25% from 2022–2026.
Alex will continue to fight high taxes and focus on affordability. That means keeping City spending disciplined, attracting investment to grow the tax base, and maintaining the roads and services Barrie residents rely on.
The work does not stop with one term. Alex will keep pushing for Barrie to operate within its means and for outside agencies to do their part to keep costs down.
See Alex’s second-term commitmentsAlex Nuttall campaign · Updated
More from Alex: Barrie affordability FAQs and the municipal-finances record.