EZT BUDGET TIMELINE
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PAGE 12, 2026 Thursday, February ROYALS STACK PLAYOFF WINS
PAGE The Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette
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The Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette Serving New Hamburg, Tavistock, Baden, Wellesley, New Dundee, St. Agatha, Shakespeare, Petersburg, Hickson, Punkeydoodle’s Corner and area
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026
Wilmot’s water may offer relief for Mannheim service area water capacity constraint AMANDA NELSON Gazette Reporter
document was developed with a collaborative approach “with township staff, council and financial experts from KPMG following a comprehensive review of historical spending and financial data.” Salonen hired the consulting firm to develop the budget and a long-term financial plan. Council introduced several amendments during the process,
The Region of Waterloo is reviewing its Wilmot water-taking policy, first created in 1980 and updated in 1984, which governs how water from wells in Wilmot Township can be used. Wilmot’s main wells, which serve Baden and New Hamburg, have enough supply to support local growth through 2051. They can also provide about 30 litres per second of additional water to the Mannheim service area, where the region is currently facing capacity constraints. “Transferring some of that water would not jeopardize the current or future water supply for the remaining areas of Wilmot Township,” said Geoff Moroz, manager of hydrogeology and source water programs for the Region of Waterloo. “This would help the Mannheim service area capacity constraint that we have today.” Moroz said provincially required testing shows the Wilmot aquifer contains a large supply of water and can be pumped at high levels without being depleted. The region is permitted by the province to take up to 150 litres per second, and long-term
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(PHOTO COURTESY OF SHOW US YOUR WILMOT)
Rose Marie Osbourne captured this frost-covered landscape while driving through Wilmot Township Feb. 5 and shared it to the Show Us Your Wilmot Facebook page.
Wilmot council debates detailed 2026 budget release Hours of questions and debate result in small decrease in tax levy
LEE GRIFFI Gazette Reporter
Wilmot Township homeowners will see a 9.1 per-cent hike on their tax bills in 2026. The increase will amount to approximately $217 per year for the average homeowner. With the increased water and wastewater rates factored in, the total
impact sits just under $300. Members of council peppered Mayor Natasha Salonen and staff with questions during a meeting that stretched past five hours on Monday night. Before the meeting started, the taxpayer was on the hook for a 9.7 per-cent hit. The budget was tabled on Jan. 9 by Salonen as part of her strong mayor responsibilities. A press release said the