Council Highlights - January 2026 Edition

Happy New Year, Wasaga Beach! What a year it has been!

As we step into 2026, there is a real sense of momentum across our community. This is when the past three years of this Council’s long-term planning, strong advocacy, and key partnerships begin to translate into visible progress. From our beachfront to new schools, new businesses, and major infrastructure investment, Wasaga Beach is entering an exciting new chapter - and the best is yet to come.

A major foundation for this progress was laid last spring with Premier Ford’s first visit to Wasaga Beach and announcement of Destination Wasaga. Funded by the Province of Ontario and shaped directly by local voices, the Destination Wasaga Master Plan will guide redevelopment, public spaces, infrastructure, and investment in our community for decades to come. In November, more than 500 residents, business owners, community groups, and partners from across the province participated in “Visioning Week”, sharing ideas and priorities to ensure growth reflects our community values while positioning Wasaga Beach as a vibrant, four-season destination.

We are already seeing the Destination Wasaga vision beginning to take shape on the ground. With more than $10.9 million in provincial funding to rebuild Beach Drive and make it flood and climate-resilient, and over $135 million in private investment from partners such as Stonebridge and Sunray, residents will soon see shovels in the ground on the Marriott Hotel and the next phases of The Breakers. These anchor investments and key public realm improvements will transform how residents and visitors experience our shoreline and generate new opportunities for businesses across our community.

Beyond the beachfront, 2026 will be a year of significant community-building milestones. We are preparing for shovels in the ground on two long-awaited new high schools, supporting families and accommodating future growth. We’re also eager to welcome Costco to Wasaga Beach, a major employer and economic driver that will create jobs, expand shopping options, and strengthen the Town’s long-term tax base.

Council also recently adopted a new Municipal Accommodation Tax, projected to generate over $1 million annually, ensuring that tourism helps fund destination events, marketing, and visitor experiences — not residents.

This momentum has been matched by this Council’s strong focus on fiscal responsibility. Through direct advocacy, Council has successfully secured over $156 million in provincial funding — more than any other Council in the history of Wasaga Beach. This influx of funding helped Council support a balanced, responsible 2.99% “status quo” budget. Status quo does not mean standing still; it means protecting the services our community relies on while strengthening tourism, building our commercial tax base, and investing in projects that support sustainable and responsible growth.

Another major milestone accomplished this past fall was the adoption of a new Official Plan, including the Town’s first-ever West Wasaga Secondary Plan. This plan provides a modern, long-term framework to guide responsible growth while protecting what makes Wasaga Beach unique.

Community pride and giving back have remained at the heart of our work. In October, we hosted the First Annual Mayor’s Charity RAM Rodeo & Hootenanny Fall Festival, raising over $55,000 in support of a new regional hospital and end-of-life care through Hospice Georgian Triangle. Planning is already underway for the 2026 Mayor’s Charity RAM Rodeo, which will be even bigger and better.

To kick off the New Year, the Town has also launched a new website. I encourage you to check it out, stay informed, get involved, and subscribe to receive Council news and updates delivered straight to your inbox: wasagabeach.com/subscribe.

This update is just a snapshot of the important work taking place at Town Hall and across our community every day.

Here’s to a year of progress, partnership, and big wins for Wasaga Beach - bring on 2026!

Sincerely,
Mayor Brian Smith

View the full January 2026 Edition - Council Highlights newsletter.

Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
Email Sandra