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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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.

Questions · 3 so far

Things worth asking about

We read Blind River's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 24 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.

What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Needs an answer

Needs an answer

These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.

Needs an answerMoney health

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?

$1.2Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024

At the end of 2024, $1.2M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 15% of everything billed. Only 1 of 24 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.1M.

Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources

Worth asking

Worth asking

There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.

Worth askingOpenness

Why doesn't the Town of Blind River post its council pay and expenses statement online?

On October 10, 2026 we checked the Town's Budget and Finance, Budgets, Financial Statements, Council, Agendas and Minutes, and Budget Committee pages. The Budgets page links the 2026 capital and operating budgets, and the Financial Statements page links audited statements for 2024 and earlier years. None of the pages we checked links to a council pay and expenses statement. The Financial Statements page lists 2024 as the latest year.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources

Each question in full

Needs an answerFound automatically from financial reports

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?

$1.2Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024

At the end of 2024, $1.2M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 15% of everything billed. Only 1 of 24 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.1M.

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?
$1.2M
Show as a table
YearUnpaid property tax at year end
2019$830K
2020$937K
2021$944K
2022$1.1M
2023$1.1M
2024$1.2M

Why it matters

When taxes go unpaid, everyone else carries the cost, and the town may borrow to cover the gap. The Province's financial indicators treat 10% to 15% as a moderate risk and more than 15% as a high risk. Collection is the town's job, so a rising number is worth asking about.

It could be because…

  • The final tax bill was due late in the year, so some payments simply arrived in January.
  • A few large properties are in dispute or being sold for back taxes.
  • Hard times for residents, which the town may be handling with payment plans.

Questions you could ask

  1. How much is more than one year overdue, and from how many properties?
  2. Are the rules for chasing unpaid taxes applied the same way to everyone?
  3. Has the town registered tax arrears certificates on properties about two years behind? If still unpaid a year after that, Ontario law lets the town sell the property.

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Blind River? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Taxes receivable: 2019 $830K, 2020 $937K, 2021 $944K, 2022 $1.1M, 2023 $1.1M, 2024 $1.2M. Of the 2024 total, $680K was from earlier years.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 70, lines 0610 to 0699 · archived copy

  2. Typical among similar towns: 7.6% of taxes billed.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 24 similar municipalities · Schedules 26 and 70 · archived copy

↑ All questions

Needs an answerFound automatically from financial reports

Why does Blind River spend more than most similar towns on long-term debt?

$10,879per home on long-term debt, 2024

Blind River spent about $10,879 per home on long-term debt in 2024. The typical similar town spent $1,746. Only 1 of 24 similar towns spent more.

Why it matters

Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.

It could be because…

  • Geography: more roads, more snow, a bigger area or a landfill of its own.
  • Accounting: some towns record the same cost in a different category.
  • A one-time cost in this year.

Questions you could ask

  1. What makes this cost higher here than in similar towns?
  2. When were the main contracts in this area last put out to competitive tender?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Blind River? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Long-term debt per home: Blind River $10,879; typical similar town $1,746; ranked 2nd highest of 25.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 24 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy

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Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Why doesn't the Town of Blind River post its council pay and expenses statement online?

On October 10, 2026 we checked the Town's Budget and Finance, Budgets, Financial Statements, Council, Agendas and Minutes, and Budget Committee pages. The Budgets page links the 2026 capital and operating budgets, and the Financial Statements page links audited statements for 2024 and earlier years. None of the pages we checked links to a council pay and expenses statement. The Financial Statements page lists 2024 as the latest year.

Why it matters

Residents can only judge spending they can see. A council pay and expenses statement shows what each member of council was paid and reimbursed in a year.

It could be because…

  • The statement may be available at the municipal office or on request, as the Town says it will provide older budgets and statements.
  • It may be presented to council each year and recorded in the minutes rather than posted as its own document.
  • The Town may have published it another way, such as a newsletter or a media notice.
  • A town with a small staff may not have had time to post it.

Questions you could ask

  1. Where can residents read the yearly statement of what council members were paid and reimbursed?
  2. Will council post it online with the budget and audited statements?
  3. When was the 2025 council pay and expenses statement presented to council?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Blind River? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. The page introduces the budget and financial statements and links to both. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Budget and Finance (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

  2. The page links the 2026 capital budget and operating budget, and budgets for 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018. It says to contact the Town for budgets from previous years. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Budgets (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

  3. The page links financial statements for 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, plus 2020 statements for the Blind River Development Corporation and the Public Library. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Financial Statements (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

  4. The page lists the Mayor and six Councillors, says council meetings begin at 6:00 pm and says recordings are on the Town's YouTube page. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Council (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

  5. The page says council meets the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, links meeting recordings on the Town's YouTube page and points to the meeting calendar for agendas and minutes. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Agendas and Minutes (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

  6. The page says the Budget Committee advises council on budget preparation and monitoring, and lists its members. It has no link to a council pay and expenses statement.

    Budget Committee (Town of Blind River website) · whole page, checked October 10, 2026

↑ All questions