Gananoque’s 2026 municipal budget has taken an unusual path after Mayor John Beddows said it was not formally passed by council, but was instead deemed approved under Ontario’s Strong Mayor legislation when the 30-day window for amendments expired.
Beddows said he had planned to veto the budget after council moved to underfund capital reserves by about $450,000, which he argued would go against the town’s approved asset management plan.
However a legal opinion changed that.
The approved budget carries an 8.94 per cent property tax increase, slightly lower than the original 9.6 per cent draft.
Beddows said the increase is needed to deal with long-term infrastructure pressures.
He said Gananoque faces about $97 million in infrastructure needs over the next decade, with only about $70 million in funding now identified.
He defended the tax hike as fiscally conservative, saying towns must raise enough money to maintain services, while warning casino revenue is too unpredictable to lean on heavily.
When asked if he would run for re-election he didn’t answer, but instead offered advice in a hypothetical situation.
Looking ahead, Beddows said future councils must plan earlier and start long-term talks on assets such as the Lou Jeffries arena.
