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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Blind River'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.
The money · 2024
How Blind River's money works
A town is a bit like a household. Money comes in (mostly taxes and grants), and money goes out to pay for services like roads, fire trucks and the arena. Here is what that looked like in 2024, the latest year the town has reported to the Province.
Why 2024 and not this year? A budget is a plan. These figures are what actually happened, checked by an auditor and reported to Ontario. The 2025 report is not out yet.
Money in: $18.5M
Where the town's money came from in 2024.
Blind River revenue by source, 2024
41%
14%
15%
21%
Property taxes$7.6M41%
Money from Ontario (no strings)$2.6M14%
Grants for specific projects$2.8M15%
Fees people pay$3.8M21%
Other$1.3M7%
Everything else$338K2%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Property taxes
$7,612,164
41.2%
Money from Ontario (no strings)
$2,621,000
14.2%
Grants for specific projects
$2,782,288
15.1%
Fees people pay
$3,816,689
20.7%
Other
$1,297,288
7.0%
Everything else
$337,618
1.8%
Total
$18,467,047
100%
What each source means
Property taxes
What home and business owners pay each year, based on what their property is worth.
Money from Ontario (no strings)
A yearly grant from the Province that the town can spend on anything. Small rural towns get more.
Grants for specific projects
Money from Ontario or Canada that must be spent on a certain thing, often a road or building.
Fees people pay
Water and sewer bills, dump fees, arena rentals, permits and similar charges.
Other
Interest earned, donations, sales of land and equipment.
Money out: $12.9M on services
Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the town recorded $3.4M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.
Blind River spending by service, 2024
16%
11%
15%
21%
21%
Running the town office$2.0M16%
Police, fire and safety$1.5M11%
Roads and snow$1.9M15%
Water, sewers and garbage$2.7M21%
Health$547K4%
Social services$596K5%
Housing$347K3%
Parks, arena and library$2.7M21%
Planning and business$566K4%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Running the town office
$2,048,510
15.9%
Police, fire and safety
$1,456,045
11.3%
Roads and snow
$1,922,425
14.9%
Water, sewers and garbage
$2,732,106
21.2%
Health
$546,555
4.2%
Social services
$595,877
4.6%
Housing
$346,848
2.7%
Parks, arena and library
$2,662,242
20.7%
Planning and business
$566,326
4.4%
Total
$12,876,934
100%
Water, sewers and garbage
$2.7M
Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.
+30% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Water, sewers and garbage broken down
Water treatment$709K−5%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
The dump (landfill)$445K+39%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Sewage treatment$421K+10%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Water pipes$408K+200%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Garbage pickup$308K0%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Recycling$182K+49%
Recycling and composting.
Sewer pipes$138K+177%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Other environment$55,680
Other environmental costs.
Rural drainage$51,727
Ditches and drains in the countryside.
Storm drains$13,690−64%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Water treatment
$709,324
−5.2%
The dump (landfill)
$445,429
+39.4%
Sewage treatment
$420,844
+10.5%
Water pipes
$407,537
+200.3%
Garbage pickup
$307,842
0.0%
Recycling
$181,568
+48.7%
Sewer pipes
$138,465
+177.1%
Other environment
$55,680
–
Rural drainage
$51,727
–
Storm drains
$13,690
−63.7%
Parks, arena and library
$2.7M
Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.
+39% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Parks, arena and library broken down
Golf, marina, ski hill$1.1M+53%
Town-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Arena and buildings$898K+53%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Museums$247K+22%
Local museums.
Library$192K+36%
The public library.
Parks$151K+30%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Arts and culture$75,149−50%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Golf, marina, ski hill
$1,098,718
+52.5%
Arena and buildings
$898,353
+53.2%
Museums
$247,249
+21.9%
Library
$191,699
+35.9%
Parks
$151,074
+29.9%
Arts and culture
$75,149
−50.2%
Running the town office
$2.0M
Council, managers, the clerk, accounting, computers, insurance and the town hall itself. Every town needs some of this, but it does not fix a road or put out a fire.
−12% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Running the town office broken down
Senior management$1.9M−13%
The top managers who run the town day to day.
Council$168K−3%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Senior management
$1,880,077
−13.1%
Council
$168,433
−3.4%
Roads and snow
$1.9M
Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.
+33% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Roads and snow broken down
Paved roads$1.3M+54%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Roadsides and signs$229K+12%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Snow ploughing$137K−33%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Accessible transit$93,683
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Street lights$84,243−10%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Bridges and culverts$54,663
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Sidewalk snow$25,431
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Gravel roads$13,712
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Parking$3,053
Town parking lots and meters.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Paved roads
$1,281,785
+53.6%
Roadsides and signs
$228,945
+11.6%
Snow ploughing
$136,910
−32.7%
Accessible transit
$93,683
–
Street lights
$84,243
−10.4%
Bridges and culverts
$54,663
–
Sidewalk snow
$25,431
–
Gravel roads
$13,712
–
Parking
$3,053
–
Police, fire and safety
$1.5M
Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.
+4% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Police, fire and safety broken down
Police (OPP contract)$917K−10%
What the town pays for policing.
By-law and animal control$249K+316%
Enforcing town rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Fire department$170K+4%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
Building permits$83,468−22%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Emergency planning$35,763
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Police (OPP contract)
$917,266
−10.1%
By-law and animal control
$249,280
+316.3%
Fire department
$170,268
+4.0%
Building permits
$83,468
−21.6%
Emergency planning
$35,763
–
Social services
$596K
Help for people and families who need it, and child care.
−29% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Social services broken down
Child care$305K+21%
Daycare and early learning.
Income support$291K−51%
Help for people with very low income.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Child care
$304,648
+21.5%
Income support
$291,229
−50.9%
Planning and business
$566K
Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to town.
+345% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Planning and business broken down
Business and tourism$541K+1,414%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$25,688
Deciding what can be built where.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Business and tourism
$540,638
+1,413.9%
Planning and zoning
$25,688
–
Health
$547K
Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.
+7% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Health broken down
Ambulance$362K+3%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$147K+25%
Health inspections and programs.
Cemeteries$37,416−10%
Looking after town cemeteries.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Ambulance
$362,455
+3.4%
Public health
$146,684
+25.0%
Cemeteries
$37,416
−9.9%
Housing
$347K
Affordable and social housing.
Housing broken down
Public housing$347K
Homes owned by government.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Public housing
$346,848
–
What the money bought
The same 2024 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.
Spending by type
Staff pay and benefits$4.0M
Wages, benefits and pensions for town workers.
Supplies and utilities$3.5M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Outside companies$3.0M
Work the town pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Money given to others$1.5M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Interest on loans$765K
The extra money paid to lenders for money the town borrowed.
Rent and money costs$170K
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Staff pay and benefits
$3,981,367
Supplies and utilities
$3,487,277
Outside companies
$3,021,106
Money given to others
$1,451,864
Interest on loans
$764,861
Rent and money costs
$170,459
Staff
People on the town's payroll at the end of each year, as reported to the Province.
Year
Full-time
Part-time
Seasonal
2019
28
29
22
2020
29
27
10
2021
28
26
11
2022
29
26
12
2023
30
22
10
2024
33
27
14
How things have changed since 2019
Money in compared with day-to-day spending, each year. When the orange line is above the blue one, the town spent more than it took in and made up the difference from savings or loans. Grants for big projects arrive in some years and not others, which makes "money in" jump around.
Money in and day-to-day spending by year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
$0$10M$20M$30M
$18.5M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
2019
$14.8M
$10.7M
2020
$13.9M
$10.5M
2021
$18.8M
$11.1M
2022
$25.3M
$11.7M
2023
$17.6M
$11.5M
2024
$18.5M
$12.9M
Town property tax
Up 32% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.
Town property tax by year
$0$2.0M$4.0M$6.0M$8.0M
$7.6M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Town property tax
2019
$5.8M
2020
$6.1M
2021
$6.4M
2022
$6.7M
2023
$7.1M
2024
$7.6M
Savings (reserves)
Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.
Reserves by year
$0$2.0M$4.0M$6.0M$8.0M$10M
$8.2M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Savings
2019
$4.5M
2020
$5.7M
2021
$6.6M
2022
$5.5M
2023
$6.9M
2024
$8.2M
What the town owes
Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.
Debt by year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
$0$10M$20M$30M$40M
$26.1M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
2019
$30.6M
$0
2020
$29.9M
$0
2021
$29.2M
$0
2022
$24.8M
$0
2023
$26.3M
$0
2024
$26.1M
$0
Building new things
Spending on new or rebuilt roads, pipes, buildings and equipment, compared with how fast existing ones wear out.
Capital spending and wear by year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
$0$2.0M$4.0M$6.0M$8.0M$10M
$9.2M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
2019
$5.3M
$3.1M
2020
$2.7M
$3.2M
2021
$2.1M
$3.2M
2022
$5.4M
$3.3M
2023
$3.5M
$3.4M
2024
$9.2M
$3.4M
Source: Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), Schedules 10, 40, 51, 60, 70, 74 and 80 (archived copy). Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Retrieved 2026-10-01. Figures are what the municipality reported to the Province for each year, prepared on the same basis as its audited financial statements.
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