The City of Pembroke will hold a public meeting on January 13, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall (1 Pembroke St. E) to review its proposed 2026 budget. Residents can attend in person or watch the livestream on the city’s YouTube channel (TheCityofPembroke). Feedback gathered at this session will help shape the final budget, slated for adoption on January 22, 2026.
Citizens may submit written questions to City Clerk Heidi Martin by email or register for a five-minute speaking slot. The deadline to request to speak is January 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Full participation details are available on the City of Pembroke’s news page.
The draft budget includes an average residential tax increase of roughly $238 to $268, depending on final levy adjustments; those two figures were reported by local outlets (Pembroke Observer and Pembroke Today). Key drivers are upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure, road rehabilitation projects, and inflationary pressures on municipal services. Initial cuts and adjustments were made by the Finance and Administration Committee during December deliberations.
This year’s process follows a challenging 2025 cycle, when taxes rose by 8.92% to address infrastructure backlogs. Mayor Ron Gervais has pushed for a ‘back-to-basics’ approach in 2026, focusing on core services rather than new initiatives. With the final approval set for January 22, only minor tweaks to spending allocations are expected after public input.
Residents concerned about the impact of the proposed increase on fixed incomes or specific projects can raise their questions at the meeting or via written submission. Though wholesale changes are unlikely in the nine days before adoption, city documents and analysts note community input could influence which road or water projects move forward.
