Water rates not going up as much as expected

London housing. (File)

Water and waste-water rates for London rate-payers will not be going up in 2026 as much as previously budgeted.

City council’s Strategic Priorities and Policies Committee has endorsed a recommendation to reduce the water rate increase by 0.4 per cent. It means rate-payers will now face an increase of 2.2 per cent on their monthly water charges.

The waste-water increase will go down by 2.2 per cent from 4.6 per cent, leaving rate-payers with an increase of 2.4 per cent for waste-water charges.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis says new rules on how development charges are levied means more money will trickle down to the city.

“So development charges are what we charge where it’s a growth pays for growth. But the province did provide some exemptions in this term. And it has said people who are building affordable housing don’t have to pay these things. There are some other exemptions that are involved as well. We used to have to replace that money with our own property tax money. Now we don’t have to do that, the province has clarified that, so that saves London property tax payers some money,” Lewis explained.

The new rates take effect Jan. 1, 2026.