The Town of Sidney, British Columbia, has scheduled a series of meetings on March 3 and March 16, 2026, to determine the final tax rates and service levels for the community. These sessions will include a public budget debate and a private meeting to discuss sensitive local matters.
According to the Town of Sidney, the schedule begins with an initial budget consultation on March 3 at 6 p.m. This will be followed by a closed meeting, where Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith and town councillors can discuss confidential issues such as legal cases, staff matters, or land sales.
On March 16, 2026, at 6 p.m., the council will hold a special deliberation budget meeting to decide how much residents will pay in property taxes. These discussions come after the provincial government increased the lowest income tax rate from 5.06 percent to 5.60 percent earlier this year, adding more financial pressure to local households.
Town officials have a history of making significant changes to the budget before it is finalized. For instance, the 2025 financial plan started with a proposed tax increase of 12.85 percent before council members worked to reduce that amount.
The current council includes Councillors Sara Duncan, Terri O’Keeffe, Steve Duck, Scott Garnett, Richard Novek, and Chad Rintoul, who are guided by the town’s strategic plan. Residents can review all meeting materials and agendas on the CivicWeb portal.
