Durham Families Are Being Pushed to the point of no return— and Council Knows It

Durham Families Are Being Pushed to the point of no return— and Council Knows It By Councillor Lisa Robinson Durham Region residents are facing yet another property tax increase — and once again, families are being treated as an unlimited source of revenue rather than people already at their breaking point. The Region’s original proposal was a 6.04% property tax increase. That hike comes on top of everything households are already paying: municipal taxes, education, utilities, insurance, fuel, clothing, groceries — all during a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when interest rates remain painfully high. Mortgages are doubling on renewal. Rent is soaring. People are running out of room to absorb “just one more increase.” On December 11, I addressed Regional Council directly during a delegation to Committee of the Whole. My message was simple and urgent: people cannot afford this. A 6% hike is not a rounding error — it is the difference between stability and financial distress for many families. For some, it would push them past the point of no return. Those who follow my record know I have been consistent. I have voted against non-urgent projects, against excessive consultant spending, and against unnecessary expansions at a time when residents are drowning. A clear example is the Seaton project, currently estimated at $266 million, but projected to cost closer to $300 million by the time construction begins. Pickering residents alone are staring down an additional 11.71% tax increase from this project within the next 380 days. These are not abstract numbers. These are real financial blows landing on households already under strain. Following my delegation, Committee of the Whole debated a motion to reduce the increase to 3%, using reserve funds to bridge the difference. That motion passed. It was a responsible compromise that recognized both fiscal pressures and economic reality. But then, on December 17, everything changed. Just as Council was set to ratify that 3% increase, Mayor Kevin Ashe introduced a new motion raising the increase to 4.8% — and it passed. The 3% option was effectively erased. During that same meeting, the Mayor went further, publicly dismissing councillors who supported the lower increase by calling it a “get-me-elected budget.” That comment matters, because it reveals a mindset: protecting residents from financial harm is being framed as political opportunism, rather than responsible governance. Now, staff have been directed to return in January with a report assessing whether a 4.8% increase is feasible — or whether Council should revert back to the original 6.04% increase or higher, based on the budget they are reviewing. Let me be absolutely clear: nothing is final. The January meeting could result in property taxes climbing right back toward 6% or more, depending on staff recommendations and Council’s vote. Residents should not be lulled into thinking this fight is over. It is not. This is the moment to pay attention. Decisions made in January will affect every homeowner, renter, and family in Durham Region. Once those votes are cast, the damage is done. I urge residents to contact their regional councillors and mayors now. Make your voices heard before this budget is locked in. Demand accountability. Demand restraint. Demand that Council recognize that people are already stretched to their limits. Budgets are moral documents. They reveal priorities. Durham families deserve a Council that understands the real-world consequences of its decisions — before more people are pushed past the point of no return.