Business Plans and Budgets
2026 Business Plan and Budget
Special budget meetings for the Oxford County 2026 Business Plan and Budget take place:
Special Council Meeting 1: Thursday, November 13, 2025 - 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Special Council Meeting 2: Monday, November 24, 2025 - 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Budget presented for approval at regular Council Meeting: December 10, 2025 - 9:30 am
Budget meetings are open to the public and broadcast live at www.oxfordcounty.ca/livestream
Please check back in November 2025 to download the Draft 2026 Budget package.
2026 Budget survey
Overall, the results of the 2026 Budget survey indicated that services provided by Oxford County should be maintained at current levels into 2026. Areas most often selected for increased service levels were housing (35%), long-term care at Woodingford Lodge (32%), and child care and EarlyON services (27%).
When asked to rate priorities for their communities, paramedic services were ranked as the #1 priority (43%), with affordable housing at #2. Among Oxford County-delivered services, municipal infrastructure (roads, bridges and stormwater) was rated #4, long-term care #5, and waste management (curbside garbage and recycling collection) #7.
A total of 1,550 people responded to the budget survey this year– a 36% increase over last year– with more than 720 comments submitted. Of those who responded, 62% indicated the value they receive for County tax dollars is fair or good, while 32% said they receive poor value. Comments touched on a wide range of services, including housing, long-term care, child care, paramedic services, libraries, and roads.
Public engagement on the budget process is intended to offer community input to County Council and staff as the County prepares the 2026 business plans and budget. It also presents an opportunity for the County and area municipalities to work together to manage the survey process and outreach to residents more efficiently.
Read the County Council report: CS 2025-26 – 2026 Budget Engagement Survey | Attachment: Survey summary
About the survey
The 2026 Budget survey was open for public feedback and comment between June 11 and August 29, 2025. Information collected from the budget survey will help participating municipalities know how well their services are understood, how they are valued, and which ones are a priority for residents.
- Residents who live in Blandford-Blenheim, Norwich, South-West Oxford, Tillsonburg and Zorra were asked about local area municipal services, such as fire services, building and drainage services, parks and recreation, by-law enforcement and more.
- Residents from all eight of Oxford’s municipalities were asked about services provided by Oxford County, such as roads and bridges, waste management, long-term care at Woodingford Lodge, paramedic services, human (social) services, water and wastewater, community planning and others.
For more information on 2026 Budget survey, visit Speak Up, Oxford!
2025 Business Plan and Budget
Oxford County Council approved the 2025 Business Plan and Budget on December 11, authorizing a total budget of $413.3 million, made up of a $288.1 million operating budget and $125.2 in capital projects.
The 2025 Budget focuses on upholding health services (long-term care and paramedics), investing in roads and water and wastewater infrastructure, and carrying out special projects to meet the goals of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
- Download the approved 2025 Business Plan and Budget
- Read the news release
- Learn more about the 2025 Budget process
About the 2025 Budget survey
The 2025 Budget survey was open for public feedback from June 12 to August 30, 2024. The annual survey is an opportunity for residents to have a say on which services should be a priority in the upcoming budget year.
A total of 1,136 people responded to the budget survey this year, with 62% indicating the value they receive for County tax dollars is fair or good, and 24% indicating they receive poor value. More than 650 comments were received through the survey, spanning housing, children’s services, long-term care, paramedic services and roads.
For more information or to see the survey results, visit Speak Up, Oxford!
Infographic: Highlights from the 2024 Budget Survey - Oxford County results
Oxford County's annual business plan and budget is guided by Council’s strategic priorities as set out in the Strategic Plan. The County's fiscal year is from January 1 to December 31.
Oxford County residents do not pay taxes directly to the County. The County tax levy is added to the tax bill in each area municipality and then transferred to the County from Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Ingersoll, Norwich, South-West Oxford, Tillsonburg, Woodstock and Zorra. The County's annual budget is then financed by these tax levies as well as government funding, reserve funding, and fees from development charges, water and wastewater, etc.
Tax levies collected by the County are used to:
- maintain and manage County infrastructure, including bridges and highways, drinking water, wastewater, and garbage and recycling;
- deliver social services, ambulance, and long-term care services directed by the provincial government;
- provide development and community planning for each area municipality and the County as a whole;
- maintain county-wide information systems, library services and archives; and,
- administer the Provincial Offences Court.