Municipality of Southwest Middlesex 2026 Budget Survey

Budget 2026: Have Your Say!

As we begin the 2026 municipal budget, we want to hear from you.
Please complete this brief survey and help us create a budget that reflects the priorities of local residents and businesses.

As you answer these questions, please remember:
1. Your annual tax bill is made up of taxes payable to Southwest Middlesex, as well as to the County of Middlesex and your preferred school board. This survey concerns ONLY the funds paid to, and the services offered by, the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex.
2. There are some services that municipalities are legally required to provide - this limits how much room we have to reduce services/costs.

This is your opportunity to let us know how do you want to see your tax dollars spent in 2026, and which services are most important to you and your family.

Thank you for your time!

2.Value for your Tax Dollars:

Every time your street is plowed, you see a fire station responding to an emergency, or you see the garbage truck drive by, you are witnessing your tax dollars at work.

Your annual tax bill is made up of taxes for Southwest Middlesex, Middlesex County, and your preferred school board. In general, about 62% of what you pay in taxes goes to Southwest Middlesex.

Thinking about the part of your taxes that go to Southwest Middlesex, how would you rate the overall value you receive for your tax dollars?

3.Overall Satisfaction with Services:

Overall, how satisfied are you with the delivery of ALL the services provided by Southwest Middlesex?

Satisfied

Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Very Dissatisfied

12.Budget Priorities:

If there was one thing you’d like the budget to address in 2026, what would it be?

Reducing taxes / water rates

Improving road maintenance

Adding parks or recreation amenities

Improving road safety (traffic controls)

Adding sidewalks, bike paths, trails

Supporting fire & emergency services

Economic development / attracting businesses

Growth & planning management

Other (please specify)

13.If the municipality received an extra $250,000 (“won the lottery”), what would you put it towards?

14.Which infrastructure or service area do you believe requires the most improvement?

15.Approach to Municipal Budgeting:

Municipal property taxes are the main source of funding to pay for the services provided by the Municipality. Which of the following options would you like the municipality to consider when developing the 2026 budget:

Increase taxes to enhance or expand municipal services

Increase taxes by inflation to maintain services at current levels

Maintain taxes at current levels, reduce some services to maintain others

Decrease property taxes and reduce service levels

Borrow responsibly for capital projects (adds stability to future tax increases)

Use reserve funds where possible to reduce immediate tax impacts

16.Challenges and Opportunities:

What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing Southwest Middlesex that should be considered when developing the budget?

17.Customer Service:

In the past 12 months, have you contacted Southwest Middlesex to receive a service or information? Select all that apply.

18.How satisfied were you with the outcome of your most recent interaction?

19.How do you prefer to receive information from the municipality? (Select all that apply)

Other (please specify)

20.About You:

Do you live in Southwest Middlesex?

Yes

21.About You:

Where in Southwest Middlesex do you live?

Ward 1 (Appin, Melbourne, Middlemiss - former Ekfrid)

Ward 2 (Glencoe)

Ward 3 (Wardsville - former Mosa)

Not applicable

22.About You:

Would you describe your home as being in a urban or rural setting?

Rural

Urban (including hamlets, villages, or settlement areas)

Not applicable

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!

A summary of the survey results will be presented to Council, and will be used in preparing the 2026 municipal budget.