Niverville’s town council presented their 2026 budget on March 18. At the same time, a list of major infrastructure improvements was announced.
In order to prepare for proposed expenditures, council has determined that a slight tax increase is needed. Come fall, the homeowner with a midrange assessment value of $399,800 will see a 2.5 percent hike on their municipal tax bill, equating to an additional $57.
In 2025, municipal taxes increased by about four percent, due in part to the fact that the average home increased in value by 20 percent.
In recent weeks, the Hanover School Division also announced a 2026 mill rate increase, meaning that Niverville residents will see their school taxes go up by approximately the same amount this year as their municipal taxes.
According to CAO Eric King, the tax increase is below the average inflationary rate.
“The goal with this year’s budget is to have affordability as a key metric on how we set our budget,” King says. “The goal is to try and do as much with as little as possible.”
Mayor Myron Dyck says that town growth is a reason that taxes can remain low, with the budget able to be spread out across a larger taxpayer base.
“We’re just trying to manage efficiently,” Dyck says. “Especially now in light of fuel prices. We realize that the average age in our community is in the thirties and we also hear from our seniors on fixed incomes. Council just has a mindset that we’re trying to be mindful that these are real people with real [financial challenges].”
Based on King’s financial plan, an additional $250,000 will be needed for general government services to support more town planning and development as well as additional cybersecurity.
Another $200,000 increase is required for administrative costs at the RCMP detachment, as well as a salary increase for fire and EMS staff.
Recreation is another department to receive increased funding, to the tune of $230,000.
“We’re working towards expanded program offerings and staffing,” says King. “We have also talked about the work that we are undertaking with ROC Eastman to help those who can’t access recreation due to financial reasons.”
A number of big projects are getting underway this year. Construction on the wastewater treatment plant just north of Niverville has already begun. King estimates that it will take about three years to complete.
The much-anticipated reconstruction of Highway 311 west will also start up. The project will widen the highway, introduce a new set of traffic lights at Krahn Road, and see the construction of a roundabout another half-mile west.
Phase one of the new fire hall and operations department will get started in May.
“First Street North is going to get a complete makeover over the next two years,” King adds.
This project will include a reconstruction of the street and sidewalk from one end to the other.
Another 2026 project will be the replacement of the old sewer lines that run underneath Main Street. Most of the work will be done via horizontal drilling, minimizing surface disruption.
Around five years ago, Dyck says, a number of sewer line breaks in the area resulted in an assessment of the entire system.
“When we put a camera in the lines, back in the day, some of them are like clay,” Dyck says. “While it doesn’t look like they’re broken, we’re wondering how much the soil is holding the cracks together. We know that these lines were installed in the late 60s.”
Although this concern extends to the entirety of Niverville’s older neighbourhoods, the plan is to begin with Main Street to ensure that businesses can avoid unnecessary closures due to sewer line breaks.
In anticipation of the potential for a $61,000 grant, council intends to hire a tree management specialist to assess Niverville’s current urban canopy and make recommendations for future growth of the community’s tree population.
As well, with only two to four years of payments left on the CRRC, considerations are being given to next steps when it comes to recreation funding. This will provide an opportunity for community groups and individuals to weigh in on what direction they feel the town should go in the coming years.