Bridgewater Town Council Approves 2026-2027 Budget

Bridgewater Town Council Approves 2026-2027 Budget
No Changes to Property Tax Rates 

APRIL 14, 2026, BRIDGEWATER, NS — Bridgewater Town Council passed its 2026-2027 Capital and Operating Budget on Monday, April 13, 2026, with no increase in property tax rates for residential or commercial owners in the community. The residential tax rate remains at $1.85 per $100 of assessment. The commercial tax rate remains at $4.07 per $100 of assessment.

The total budgeted operating expenses for the coming year will amount to $35,688,241, an increase of 4.9%. Bridgewater’s capital expenditures are budgeted at $31,354,750, with a carry forward of $38,075,257.

“It was important to us to hold firm on not increasing the tax rate this year,” said Mayor David Mitchell. “We know the cost of living has risen, and Council hears every day how increases in essentials like groceries are affecting residents. At the same time, we have significant investments that we need to make the years ahead, especially in wastewater. We already run a lean budget, so it’s not easy to balance out all of these needs.”

Continued Investment in Community Well-being 

$3.3M will go into funding for recreational facilities including the LCLC, the Michelin Bridgewater Outdoor Pool, parks and playgrounds, including a new fully accessible playground in Generations Active Park. An additional $84,700 will go towards park preservation, seeing through the completion of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Project.

The budget provides continued support for public transit with the continuation of extended service hours, planning for an expansion to key areas adjacent to Town boundaries, and bus stop improvements and shelters.

$298,000 is allocated for energy poverty reduction initiatives including the PACE program, the creation of a Regional Home Upgrades Navigator, and the transition of the Bridgewise program.

The Town is also providing $70,000 in funding to its Low-Income Property Tax Exemption program, $28,500 to ProKids and $252,000 in support to local non-profits through grants, sponsorships and tax-exemption.

$50,000 is allocated to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, including enhancing service delivery and strengthening organizational capacity and awareness. $43,600 will go to the implementation of an Accessibility Plan.

Critical Investments in Wastewater and Infrastructure 

Significant investments in infrastructure are being made to support continued growth and development within the community. These include $23.7 million allocated to wastewater projects, totalling $40.6 million when accounting for capital carry-forward projects. 

$800,000 is budgeted for road upgrades which includes pavement management, along with intersection and road upgrades tied to wastewater work on Dufferin.

$160,000 will be going to sidewalks, while $708,000 will be going to parks development to enhance community spaces.

In addition, $135,000 has been earmarked for a wastewater capacity strategy, with costs partially offset through grant funding.

Due to the significant investments needed this year and in the coming years, both residents and businesses will see an increase to wastewater rates. For residents, the rate this year has been set at $644, representing an increase of approximately $6.60 per month.

Economic Development and Enhancing Bridgewater’s Profile 

$245,000 has been allocated to advance Business Park Development initiatives. This funding will support the creation of a comprehensive land sales marketing strategy, the development of a conceptual plan for Exit 12A Phase 2, and the preparation of a Downtown Development Plan.

Bridgewater is also investing more than $99,000 in community events, such as Canada Day on the LaHave, Christmas on the LaHave, Harvest Moon Music Festival, and the acclaimed Music on the Riverbank concert series.

$87,500, funded through the Town’s Marketing Levy, will go to creating and implementing a tourism and events strategy, and $25,000, also from the Marketing Levy, will go to the creation of a major events fund. 

Commitment to Core Services 

The Town’s commitment to core services and strategic priorities remains strong, including allocations for Fire Protection ($1,805,748), Bridgewater Police Service ($4,974,772 net), and Emergency Response through the Lunenburg County Regional Emergency Management Organization ($59,972).

“As challenging as this budget was, I think we landed in a really good place,” Mayor Mitchell added. “As always, staff and council worked hard to find savings everywhere we could, and to make responsible decisions that are in the best interests of the taxpayers. We have a number of impactful projects on the books for this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing them move forward and benefit our community.” 

View and Download the Complete Budget  

Budget information, including the complete 2026-2027 Town of Bridgewater Operating and Capital budgets, is available to download here.