On Monday, January 12, 2026, Wellington County Council will meet at the County Administration Centre at 74 Woolwich Street in Guelph, Ontario, to adopt the 2026 budget and the 2026–2035 ten-year capital plan. This special session follows a 30-day review of a draft budget that proposes a 3.5 per cent property tax increase for the county portion of the bill, a change that will affect Guelph residents’ costs for shared services the county manages for the region, including social housing, paramedic response and social services.
The county’s proposed net operating budget for 2026 is $148,468,000. County Treasurer Ken DeHart told Guelph Today that negotiated wage increases and higher fuel, utility and contract costs are driving the 3.5 per cent hike, which is lower than the 4.1 per cent forecasted last year.
Residents who want to address council should register as a delegation with the County Clerk. The County’s ‘Committees and Delegations’ guidance indicates delegation requests must be submitted by noon the Wednesday one week preceding the meeting (for a Jan. 12, 2026 meeting that would be noon on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026); check the County Clerk or the Council calendar for the exact deadline. Delegates may raise concerns about specific capital projects, staffing levels or shared-service agreements between the county and the City of Guelph.
If approved, the budget will set the fiscal direction for the next decade, balancing infrastructure needs with service delivery. County Warden Andy Lennox has stressed a goal of maintaining service levels while keeping the budget fiscally responsible as the region’s population continues to grow.
