Essex County's draft 2027 budget has a 4.17% tax increase, mostly wages and benefits

Essex County's working draft for 2027 has a tax-rate increase of about 4.17%, a County report says. Wages and benefits make up about 2.91 points of it. The new County council debates the budget Dec. 2, and staff say the number will change before then.

By Kyle L. Stewart | Published Oct. 29, 2026, 2:38 p.m. ET | Windsor, Ontario

Topics: Money and taxes Council and City Hall

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Essex County's working draft budget for 2027 has a tax-rate increase of about 4.17%, according to a pre-budget report to County council dated Oct. 21, 2026. Staff say the number will change before the budget is final.

The big driver

Wages and benefits account for about 2.91 percentage points of the increase, the report says, before any new staff, operating, capital or reserve costs. Several union contracts settled during 2026 differed from what the 2026 budget assumed, and those, along with benefit and pension costs, are built into the 2027 draft. County Treasurer Melissa Ryan said compensation and benefits are "the biggest driver."

Other pressures

The report lists higher costs for contracted services and operations, road rehabilitation and expansion, EMS service needs, social housing and reserve funding. Proposed new staff positions are in a separate staffing report.

Green bins

Staff plan to keep the current green bin funding arrangement through 2027 and propose moving the County's share of the program onto the tax levy in 2028, at the same time the current user fee is removed. The report says that decision is for council during the 2028 budget.

What's next

The report was received for information and does not set the 2027 levy. The new County council, which takes office after the Oct. 26 municipal elections, debates the proposed budget on Dec. 2. Ryan said council has typically asked for budgets at or below inflation.

The County levy is the County portion of property tax bills in the seven county municipalities. It is separate from each town's own budget, and Windsor is not part of it.