[DRYDEN, ONTARIO] – Dryden City Council has officially ratified a municipal budget of approximately $57 million for 2026. Described by Mayor Jack Harrison as “fairly ambitious,” the fiscal roadmap prioritizes long-term infrastructure renewal and residential expansion. This budget represents a calculated move to modernize the city’s core systems while preparing for future community growth.
【安大略省，德萊登】 – 德萊登市議會正式批准了 2026 年度約 5,700 萬加元的市政預算。市長傑克·哈里森（Jack Harrison）形容這是一份「相當有野心」的預算，其財政藍圖優先考量長期的基礎設施更新與住宅擴張。這份預算展現了市府在現代化核心系統的同時，為未來社區增長做準備的精確佈局。
Financial Overview and Strategic Spending 財政概況與戰略性支出
The budget includes nearly $36 million in operating expenditures and a capital budget of just under $21 million. To support these investments, property taxes will increase by 2.82%, generating approximately $538,000 in additional revenue. A notable financial relief comes from stabilized policing costs; following the completion of the transition to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), 2026 costs are estimated to drop to $4.18 million from $5.65 million the previous year.
該預算包含近 3,600 萬加元的營運支出與略低於 2,100 萬加元的資本預算。為了支持這些投資，房地產稅將上調 2.82%，預計增加約 53.8 萬加元的稅收。一項顯著的財政緩解來自趨於穩定的警務費用；隨著向安大略省警察（OPP）服務的轉型期結束，2026 年的預估費用將從前一年的 565 萬加元降至 418 萬加元。
Infrastructure and The Waterfront Vision 基礎設施與濱水區開發願景
A major focus is the reconstruction of Duke Street (part of Highway 594). While $3.4 million for surface work is fully covered by provincial “Connecting Links” funding, the city must self-fund $2.1 million for underground water and sewer infrastructure using municipal reserves and utility rates. Additionally, the city has earmarked $300,000 to purchase 10 acres of surplus provincial land on Van Horne Avenue. This acquisition is part of a broader vision to assemble a 30-acre waterfront site for housing development, expanding the city’s tax base.
預算重點之一是重建 Duke Street（594 號公路的一部分）。雖然 340 萬加元的路面工程完全由省政府的「連接道路」計劃資助，但市府必須動用儲備金與水費收入，自行負擔 210 萬加元的地下供水與下水道工程。此外，市府撥款 30 萬加元購買位於 Van Horne Avenue 的 10 英畝省府剩餘土地。此次收購是其更宏大願景的一部分，旨在整合出一塊總計 30 英畝的濱水開發用地用於住宅興建，進而擴大城市稅基。
Community Quality of Life 社區生活品質提升
The 2026 plan also invests in community assets, including $1.5 million for repairs to the Sandy Beach Leisureplex and $650,000 for new pickleball courts. A majority of these costs—approximately $1.275 million for the Leisureplex alone—is expected to be covered by external funding, showcasing the city’s strategic use of grants to minimize the burden on local taxpayers.
2026 年計劃亦投資於社區資產，包括 1.5 萬加元用於修復 Sandy Beach 綜合休閒中心，以及 65 萬加元用於興建新的匹克球場。這些成本的大部分（僅休閒中心部分即有約 127.5 萬加元）預計由外部資助支應，展現了市府戰略性運用撥款以減輕當地納稅人負擔的能力。
Conclusion 結語
“Overall, I think it’s a balance between maintaining our service levels, investing in our infrastructure… and balancing out a modest tax increase for our citizens,” Mayor Harrison concluded. By addressing both aging underground systems and future housing needs, Dryden is positioning itself as a proactive and growth-ready community.
哈里森市長總結道：「總體而言，我認為這是在維持服務水平、投資基礎設施……以及為市民平衡適度稅收增幅之間的一種權衡。」透過處理老舊的地下系統並解決未來的住房需求，德萊登正將自己定位為一個積極進取且具備增長潛力的社區。