Budget 2026-2027

Charlottetown’s Financial Planning Process for the 2026 – 2027 Budget

The City of Charlottetown is committed to managing public finances responsibly, balancing fiscal capacity with the pressing challenges facing residents. Our approach keeps both today’s needs and tomorrow’s obligations in mind, ensuring sustainable growth that preserves financial stability for future generations.

Throughout the budget process, Council remains committed to transparency and good governance. Public engagement sessions, including neighbourhood town halls and online surveys offered residents opportunities to share their input and help shape priorities. The City extends its appreciation to all residents who participated.

As part of this continued transparent approach, Council will review and discuss the 2026–2027 draft budget during a series of Special Meetings of Council in March. Budget deliberations are held in open session and livestreamed on YouTube, ensuring residents can follow the process in person or online. Upcoming Council Budget Review meetings can be found in the key dates section of this page.

2026–2027 Budget Presentation

A Special Meeting of Council to present the 2026–2027 Budget will be held on March 31 at 12 p.m. Residents are welcome to attend in person at City Hall or view the proceedings via livestream.

Budget 101

A municipal budget is a summary of the money coming in and being spent by a municipality in a specific period of time, referred to as a fiscal period. It is a comprehensive guide for making financial and operational decisions.

The City’s expenditures, or what it spends money on, is divided into operational and capital:

The operational budget is the financial plan that outlines the day-to-day expenses and revenue projections for running the municipality over a specific period, typically a fiscal year. It covers ongoing operational costs such as employee salaries, utilities, maintenance, public safety, administrative expenses, and other routine expenditures required to deliver services to residents. Revenue sources usually include property taxes, user fees, grants, and other forms of income generated by the municipality.

The capital budget is a financial plan that focuses on long-term investments in infrastructure, facilities, and other major projects that enhance or expand the municipality's physical assets. It typically covers large-scale projects with significant costs and longer lifespans, such as building new roads, storm water management, bridges, parks, sewer systems, or upgrading existing infrastructure. Funding often comes from sources like short and long-term borrowing, government grants, special levies, and reserve funds.

Provincial legislation states that expenses cannot be greater than the money coming into the City. That means the City cannot plan to spend more than what it expects to collect through taxes and other sources – the City cannot run a deficit.

Charlottetown’s Financial Planning Process for the 2026 – 2027 Budget

The City of Charlottetown is committed to managing public finances responsibly, balancing fiscal capacity with the pressing challenges facing residents. Our approach keeps both today’s needs and tomorrow’s obligations in mind, ensuring sustainable growth that preserves financial stability for future generations.

Throughout the budget process, Council remains committed to transparency and good governance. Public engagement sessions, including neighbourhood town halls and online surveys offered residents opportunities to share their input and help shape priorities. The City extends its appreciation to all residents who participated.

As part of this continued transparent approach, Council will review and discuss the 2026–2027 draft budget during a series of Special Meetings of Council in March. Budget deliberations are held in open session and livestreamed on YouTube, ensuring residents can follow the process in person or online. Upcoming Council Budget Review meetings can be found in the key dates section of this page.

2026–2027 Budget Presentation

A Special Meeting of Council to present the 2026–2027 Budget will be held on March 31 at 12 p.m. Residents are welcome to attend in person at City Hall or view the proceedings via livestream.

Budget 101

A municipal budget is a summary of the money coming in and being spent by a municipality in a specific period of time, referred to as a fiscal period. It is a comprehensive guide for making financial and operational decisions.

The City’s expenditures, or what it spends money on, is divided into operational and capital:

The operational budget is the financial plan that outlines the day-to-day expenses and revenue projections for running the municipality over a specific period, typically a fiscal year. It covers ongoing operational costs such as employee salaries, utilities, maintenance, public safety, administrative expenses, and other routine expenditures required to deliver services to residents. Revenue sources usually include property taxes, user fees, grants, and other forms of income generated by the municipality.

The capital budget is a financial plan that focuses on long-term investments in infrastructure, facilities, and other major projects that enhance or expand the municipality's physical assets. It typically covers large-scale projects with significant costs and longer lifespans, such as building new roads, storm water management, bridges, parks, sewer systems, or upgrading existing infrastructure. Funding often comes from sources like short and long-term borrowing, government grants, special levies, and reserve funds.

Provincial legislation states that expenses cannot be greater than the money coming into the City. That means the City cannot plan to spend more than what it expects to collect through taxes and other sources – the City cannot run a deficit.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    2026-2027 Pre-Budget Consultation Survey

    Have your say! As part of the city’s budget process, we want to hear from you to learn more about the priorities and preferences of Charlottetown residents.

    This survey focuses on services funded through your local municipal taxes (i.e., does not include federal, provincial or education taxes).

    By taking part in this survey, you’ll help us understand how well municipal services are valued and which ones are a priority for the people who live here. 

Page last updated: 20 Mar 2026, 09:12 AM