Lakeshore’s decision to run the lowest tax increase among Essex County municipalities for the second straight year won’t leave it struggling to maintain its infrastructure, said Mayor Tracey Bailey.

The municipality passed the lowest 2026 tax hike in Essex County Dec. 4 with a 1.76 per cent increase, meaning an extra $33.39 for the average taxpayer with a 2016 assessment on a home valued at $270,000.

In 2025, Lakeshore’s municipal increase was 2.91 per cent.

The municipality drew $80 million in funds in 2025 from the federal and provincial government to upgrade sanitary water capacity to address what Bailey previously called a “crisis situation.”

Together with the municipality’s funding the total spending in the municipality for infrastructure upgrades will hit $90 million, which Baile

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