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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Burpee and Mills'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 Burpee and Mills' financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 31 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.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
On October 10, 2026 we looked through the Township's website, including its Municipality, Council Meetings, By-Laws, Policies, Applications, Taxes and Asset Management Plan pages. None of them links to audited financial statements, a budget, or a statement of what council members were paid. The site does post council agendas and minutes, tax rate by-laws and a 2025 asset management plan.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 7 sources
Burpee and Mills spent $281K on running the town office in 2019 and $460K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 6 of 31 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
On October 10, 2026 we looked through the Township's website, including its Municipality, Council Meetings, By-Laws, Policies, Applications, Taxes and Asset Management Plan pages. None of them links to audited financial statements, a budget, or a statement of what council members were paid. The site does post council agendas and minutes, tax rate by-laws and a 2025 asset management plan.
Why it matters
Residents can only judge spending they can see. Without the statements and the budget online, a ratepayer cannot check what the Township took in, what it spent, or what it has saved, without asking the office.
It could be because…
Copies may be available at the municipal office or on request, even though they are not on the website.
A small township with a small staff may not have had time to post them.
The documents may have been shared another way, such as a newsletter, a newspaper notice or a mailing with the tax bill.
The website may be updated in stages, and the documents may be added later.
Questions you could ask
Where can residents read the Township's latest audited financial statements and its 2026 budget?
Will council post them on the website?
When was the statement of council pay for 2025 presented to council, and can it be posted?
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 Burpee and Mills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The Reeve and Council page lists the Reeve, the Deputy Reeve and three councillors. The page has no link to a budget, financial statements or a pay statement.
The page lists agendas and minutes for 2026 meetings, from January 7, 2026 to an agenda for October 6, 2026. It lists no budget, financial statements or council pay statement.
The introduction says: "Every township has by-laws and financial statements, and sometimes people need to see the details behind them." The downloads listed on the page are by-laws and policies (for example tax rate by-laws for 2025 and 2026, a pay range by-law for employees and a purchasing policy). No financial statements or budget are among them.
The page lists five policy documents, on complaints, the code of conduct, the Integrity Commissioner protocol, public conduct, and frivolous or vexatious requests. It lists no budget, financial statements or pay statement.
The page, which the home page calls the "full list of documents", lists forms and applications (permits, dog tags, zoning, freedom of information, hall rental). It lists no budget, financial statements or pay statement.
The page says tax bills are sent out once per year by July 31 and are due by August 31, and explains how to pay. It has no link to a budget or financial statements.
Burpee and Mills spent $281K on running the town office in 2019 and $460K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 6 of 31 similar towns had faster growth here.
Why did the cost of running the town office grow 64% in 5 years?
Running the town office
Prices (inflation)
+0%+20%+40%+60%+80%
+64%
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Running the town office
Prices (inflation)
2019
+0%
+0%
2020
+4%
+1%
2021
+18%
+4%
2022
+72%
+11%
2023
+73%
+16%
2024
+64%
+18%
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
Why it matters
Money spent running the office is money not spent on roads, water or safety. When office costs grow much faster than the services people see, it is fair to ask what the extra money is buying.
It could be because…
The town added a service, a building or staff that residents asked for.
Costs were moved from another area, so the total did not really change.
Accounting rules changed how costs are sorted.
Large one-time costs, like a study, lawsuit or repair, landed in one year.
Questions you could ask
What did the extra $179K a year pay for?
Why did senior management go from $141K to $238K?
Was each increase approved by council as a separate decision, or did it happen through the yearly budget?
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 Burpee and Mills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Running the town office: 2019 $281K, 2020 $293K, 2021 $332K, 2022 $483K, 2023 $486K, 2024 $460K.
Burpee and Mills spent $116K on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $169K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
Why did the cost of police, fire and safety grow 45% in 5 years?
Police, fire and safety
Prices (inflation)
+0%+10%+20%+30%+40%+50%
+45%
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Police, fire and safety
Prices (inflation)
2019
+0%
+0%
2020
+10%
+1%
2021
+24%
+4%
2022
+23%
+11%
2023
+33%
+16%
2024
+45%
+18%
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
Why it matters
When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.
It could be because…
The town added a service, a building or staff that residents asked for.
Costs were moved from another area, so the total did not really change.
Accounting rules changed how costs are sorted.
Large one-time costs, like a study, lawsuit or repair, landed in one year.
Questions you could ask
What did the extra $52,416 a year pay for?
Why did building permits go from $11,371 to $40,188?
Was each increase approved by council as a separate decision, or did it happen through the yearly budget?
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 Burpee and Mills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Police, fire and safety: 2019 $116K, 2020 $128K, 2021 $144K, 2022 $143K, 2023 $155K, 2024 $169K.
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