Municipality of Clare Announces Balanced Operating Budget for 2026-2027

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Details: Published: 28 April 2026; Aussi offert en français; Hits: 72

Press Release
(for immediate release)

Little Brook, NS – April 29, 2026 : The Municipality of Clare has approved a Balanced Operating Budget of $15,409,355 for the 2026–2027 fiscal year. Notably, there are no increases to property tax rates, which remain at $1.10 per $100 of assessed residential property value and $2.13 per $100 for commercial properties.

The Municipality continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of its residents, allocating over 24% of the total budget, or $3,642,821 to Protective Services. This investment supports law enforcement, fire services, emergency management, search and rescue operations, seniors’ safety initiatives, and more.

Public Health Services remains another key priority. Approximately 11% of the budget, or $1,661,420 of the 2026-2027 municipal budget has been dedicated to support the Clare Health Centre and ongoing physician recruitment efforts.

An additional 11%, or $1,784,506 of the budget will be allocated to Community Development, supporting a wide range of programs and services such as tourism, recreation, CJA day camps, municipal facilities, parks, and several cultural initiatives such as le Festival acadien de Clare, la Société acadienne de Clare and Université Sainte-Anne.

Other notable budget items include the Mandatory Education Contribution of $2,537,464, or 16% of the 2026-2027 budget; Public Works Services which include waste management services, wastewater treatment, building inspections and groundskeeping for $2,616,545, or 17% of the 2026-2027 budget; and General Government Services which encompass Council/staff expenses, and various items including insurance, auditing, legal, assessment, translation and IT, in the amount of $1,865,402 or 12% of the annual operating budget.

As the only municipality operating in both French and English in Nova Scotia, the Municipality of Clare is pleased to continue offering bilingual municipal services to residents, businesses, and visitors. This budget reflects the Municipality of Clare’s continued commitment to responsible financial management while investing in essential services and community well-being.

“This balanced budget shows our commitment to providing quality essential services while managing finances responsibly, without increasing taxes for our residents” said Warden Yvon LeBlanc.

Property owners in Clare should expect to receive their tax bills in the mail in the upcoming days. The deadline to pay 2026-2027 Property Taxes is Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Property taxes can be paid with cash, cheque, debit card, credit card, preauthorized payment, e-transfer, wire transfer, and bill payment. Full payment details and instructions are available on our website here.

The Municipality of Clare offers a Property Tax Rebate Program for low-income households in the amount of $300.00 to homeowners whose Total Household Income from all sources for 2025 was less than $30,000.00. The application forms for the Property Tax Rebate Program are available in person at the municipal office or below:

Click here to Download a Printable Version of the Property Tax Rebate Application Form