LaSalle residents may have to dig a little bit deeper next year if the proposed 2026 budget is approved.
Council will be presented with a report at next week's meeting on November 10 on the 2026 draft budget.
The report calls for an annual increase of $189 or $15.75 per month for the average residential property in the town.
If approved, the municipal levy will increase by $4,649,900.
LaSalle mayor Crystal Meloche says the town is facing a lot of pressures such as the rise of inflation, provincial items that have been pushed down to the municipality, the rise in the cost of construction, and contractual challenges.
In addition to contractual and inflationary increases, the town has several long-term goals requiring substantial funding, including the LaSalle Landing waterfront plan, the fire master plan, the police financial plan, the asset management capital funding plan, the labour master plan and the new parks master plan.
Meloche says there are several capital projects that need to be done in 2026.
"We have Front Road storm water, we have Malden Road, we have the Howard Bouffard drainage design work coming up this year, we have a couple other streets we're looking for some work to be done on it, and those are part of this year's budget as well."
She says it's also important to set money aside for the future.
"We've always planned for the future, and I want to be sure that we continue to do that because I think that's extremely important. I think that's why our town has been so successful is we've always looked to the future. In past years, we may not have increased the budget enough to cover inflation, and so we are also making up for that at this time."
Meloche says the town wants to provide amenities that residents want.
"We hear from our residents that they want to see more things as well, they want to see more things at LaSalle Landing, they want more parks, they want more culture and rec activities, they want more festivals and events, and those things all do come at a cost. And so we're just trying to figure out a healthy balance."
An open house will be held on November 17 for residents to meet and speak with town administration regarding the budget, and what they'd like to see included or removed.
Budget deliberation sessions scheduled for November 27 and November 28.
Last year, council approved an overall increase of $232.76 annually or $19.40 monthly.