The information was found within a whopping 1,137-page agenda that will be part of this week’s Durham Region committee-of-the-whole on Dec. 11, at 9:30 a.m.

Of that 6.04 per cent increase, more than half is a 3.40 per cent increase to the Durham Regional Police Service budget for 2026. Another 1.57 per cent increase has been provided to Durham Region Transit. The budget actually hit an increase of 7.75 per cent so other departments were provided with the balance from those two departments. However, growth revenue was able to provide the ability to cut the total by 1.71 per cent down to 6.04 per cent.

Staff are indicating the average blended tax rate, which takes the local municipal tax and region tax increases and blends them, will be a 4.6 per cent increase across the region for a home assessed at $483,100 based on 2026 current value assessment.

Also found in that agenda is the recommended water and sewer rate increase for the coming year: 5.6 per cent.

Oshawa Ward 5 Reg. Coun. Brian Nicholson thinks that 6.04 per cent is too much to ask from area residents and believes there is a way to lower that number before a final vote.

He says the Region should “tap into that $3 billion reserve and use more of that money rather than ask taxpayers to pay.”

He argues that just one year’s interest from the $3 billion in reserves devoted to the budget would cut the tax increase “to 3 per cent no problem.”

He said he will make a motion to do just that and thinks there will “be a lot of support from a lot of councillors.”

Falguni Shah, a north Oshawa resident, who is tired of the annual increases said something needs to be done.

“That’s ridiculous and then they have that much of a surplus (in reserve funds),” said Shah.

“Why are they continuously going into our pockets over and over again? Where do they think we are getting the money from? We don’t have reserves. Where are we supposed to come up with the money,” said Shah.