Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you Read by hand. We read Aurora's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.
A clear, checkable guide to Aurora's budget, taxes and council decisions. A town in York Region, north of Toronto, with a full-time mayor and six part-time ward councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
$15.6 millionfall in user fees, 2024 to 2025 (68,786 to 53,216, in thousands; worked out by us)
User fees are what people pay for water, recreation and similar services. The statements show "User fees" of 68,786 (thousands of dollars) in 2024 and 53,216 in 2025, against a 2025 budget of 57,493. The drop is almost all in one place. In the segment table, the General Government segment shows user fees of 16,664 in 2024 and 1,464 in 2025. In the same table, "Other" revenue for Leisure and Cultural Services fell from 10,074 to 2,279. The statements do not say what these lines held.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$49.0 millionforecast total reserve balance at the end of 2026, down from $97.0 million (Town forecast, $ millions)
Reserves are savings set aside to pay for roads, buildings and equipment. The 2026 budget forecasts the total reserve balance at 97.0 ($ millions) at the end of 2025 and 49.0 at the end of 2026, then 34.5 in 2027. The tax-funded reserves fall from 31.4 to 16.8 to 7.1. The facilities reserve is forecast at (1.0) in 2027, meaning it would be overspent. The Town says the overall balance stays positive, that some service levels will decline for a while, and that staff will bring a long-term funding plan to Council before the 2027 budget.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
16,253net long-term liabilities at the end of 2025 (thousands of dollars), up from 5,148
In 2025 the Town converted two Infrastructure Ontario construction credit lines, 4,000 for Town Square and 8,200 for a gym at the Stronach Aurora Recreation Centre (thousands of dollars), into 20-year debentures (long-term loans) at 4.36 percent and 4.59 percent. Net long-term liabilities rose from 5,148 to 16,253. At the same time the Town held investments of 132,351 and earned interest income of 10,603. The Town explains that debt covers the gap between building something and collecting the development charges that pay for it, and that these loans are development-charge funded.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$6.2 millionaverage yearly development charge revenue now forecast, down from $15.7 million in the 2024 study
Development charges are fees builders pay so that growth helps pay for the roads, parks and buildings it needs. The Town's 2024 study forecast $15.7 million a year on average. The 2026 budget now forecasts an average of $6.2 million a year, against $10 million in last year's budget. The Town blames provincial changes (Bill 17) and says 10 projects worth $17 million are delayed past 2035. The Town's own forecast shows the Parks and Recreation development charge balance below zero until 2031.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
25,337annual surplus in 2025 (thousands of dollars), against a budgeted 16,030
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The audited statements show an annual surplus of 25,337 (thousands of dollars) for 2025 and 32,410 for 2024. The budget, once the Town converts it to the same accounting basis as the statements, showed 16,030. Most of the gap looks like land and pipes that developers hand over to the Town. The statements show 13,049 of "Contributed assets" in 2025, and the Town says it does not budget for them. Taking that out leaves 12,288 (worked out by us), which is less than the budgeted 16,030. Interest income was also about double the year before.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$1.6 millioninvestment income in the 2026 operating budget, against interest income of 10,603 (thousands) in 2025
The Town holds 132,351 (thousands of dollars) in investments at the end of 2025. Interest income was 10,603 in 2025 and 5,173 in 2024. The operating budget counts on $1.6 million of investment income a year to help pay for services, in 2025 and in 2026. The Town explains that much of the interest goes straight into reserves (savings set aside for named purposes), and says it will review this practice. We did not find a split of how much interest went where.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
Nonedeclarations of interest listed for 2025 in the Town's registry
A member of council who has a money interest in an item must say so at the meeting and leave the discussion. The Town's public registry lists four declarations for 2024 (by Councillors Weese and Gilliland), one for 2023, and none for 2022 or 2025. In 2026 it lists one so far, by Councillor Gilliland, at a closed session on March 10, 2026. We did not read the 2025 minutes, so we cannot say whether anything was declared and left off the table.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$448,779total paid to the seven members of council in 2025, including benefits, vehicle allowance and expenses
The 2026 budget for the Mayor and Council is $761,600, up $58,500 (8.3 percent) from $703,100. The Town explains that $45,000 of the increase is because less will be taken from an economic development reserve, and $18,200 is salaries and benefits for staff and members. The pay statements show Mayor Tom Mrakas received $114,796 in pay in 2025, and each of the six councillors $42,220, up from $107,829 and $40,083 in 2024. All seven members together received a total of $448,779 in 2025, including benefits, vehicle allowance and expenses.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
Aurora spent $7.1M on roads and snow in 2019 and $10.9M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 2 of 10 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 5 sources
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