Fredericton City Council has approved, in principle, the 2027 municipal General Fund operating budget, recommending a property tax rate decrease for more than 90 per cent of households.
The operating budget pays for day-to-day municipal expenses including waste collection, snow removal services, personnel costs, and utilities. Additionally, it establishes property tax rates, parking rates, transit fares, recreation and facility fees, and community grants.
"This is the first budget this Council has built, and it reflects what we heard from residents while knocking on doors this past spring," said Councillor Colin Ebbett, Chair of the Municipal Finance and Corporate Administration Committee. "People told us they want a safe and lively community, and they want the services they rely on every day to keep pace as the city grows. This budget delivers on both.”
The operating budget will maintain the city’s strong financial position and support enhancements in public safety and recreation along with the continuation of existing programs and services.
New services in 2027 will include expanded recreation free programing, increased maintenance for sports fields, new funding for affordable housing programs, and additional staffing and equipment for the Fredericton Police Force’s Direct Action Response Team (DART).
The proposed residential tax rates are as follows:
- The proposed inside rate is 1.2619 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 4.67-cent reduction compared to the previous year.
- The proposed outside rate is 1.1988 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 0.77 cent reduction compared to the previous year.
- The proposed rate for the former Local Service Districts* is 0.7873 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 0.86 cent increase compared to the previous year.
- The proposed rate for Saint Mary’s* is 0.7159 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 5-cent increase compared to the previous year.
- The proposed rate for Lakeside Estates* is 0.7862 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 5-cent increase compared to the previous year.
- The proposed rate for Lincoln* is 0.6042 per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 5-cent increase compared to the previous year.
*Residential properties in the annexed areas will pay an additional rate of $0.4115 to the province for road maintenance.
The total value of the City of Fredericton’s general fund budget, including operating and capital, is approximately $197.3 million. This is an increase of $11.2 million compared to 2026 that will go towards offsetting inflationary pressures and supporting new services.
The proposed budget was discussed during an open meeting of City Council on November 2, 2026, as part of the City of Fredericton’s annual budget process. Council is scheduled to adopt the City of Fredericton’s 2027 budget during City Council’s regular open meeting on November 9.
The proposed 2027 budget and tax rates meet the targets established by the Government of New Brunswick’s property tax reforms. The increase in rates for amalgamated areas reflects the cost of providing municipal services to these areas, with the exception of road maintenance as that is still managed by the provincial government.
During the meeting, Council also revised the 2027 capital budget to enable the purchase of two additional police vehicles to support DART and reduced the amount planned for the 2028 Fredericton Indoor Pool retrofit from $3 million to $2.5 million.
The revised 2027 capital budget is now valued at $28.9 million, a $270,000 decrease from the $29.2 million budget presented on October 19. These changes will balance the budget while complying with new provincial guidelines.
More information about the City of Fredericton’s annual budget process is available online.