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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Chatham-Kent'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 · 11 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Chatham-Kent's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 10 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.
$75,323,759surplus in 2025, against a budgeted $36,155,552
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The 2025 budget planned for a surplus of $36,155,552. The audited statements show $75,323,759. The year before showed the same pattern: a budgeted $24,572,100 and an actual $74,931,420. Part of the gap is interest earned on savings. The investment income line was budgeted at the same $5,706,000 in both years, and earned $16,342,430 and then $20,941,939.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$15,148,665transportation spending above budget in 2025 ($74,337,726 against $59,189,061)
The audited statements compare each service's actual cost with its budget. Transportation services (roads, bridges, transit) cost $74,337,726 against a budget of $59,189,061. Recreation and cultural services cost $41,321,654 against $29,917,630. Environmental services (water, wastewater, waste) cost $65,198,335 against $88,639,036, well under budget. The same three lines were off in the same directions in 2024.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$199,957,915salaries and benefits in 2025 ($180,695,977 in 2024)
The audited statements show salaries and benefits of $199,957,915 in 2025, up from $180,695,977 in 2024, about 10.7% more. In its 2026 budget presentation, the Municipality says its workforce has grown by one tax-funded position per year, adding 10.34 full-time employees from 2018 to 2027, excluding Police Services and Pathways on Park staffing. The two numbers are not about the same thing, so they do not conflict. But the presentation does not explain the 2025 increase.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$105,201,774capital asset reserve at the end of 2025 ($149,414,236 a year earlier)
A reserve is money set aside for later. The reserve "for acquisition of tangible capital assets" (roads, buildings, vehicles) held $149,414,236 at the end of 2024 and $105,201,774 at the end of 2025. Reserves in total fell from $330,611,473 to $292,862,546. At the same time, cash rose by about $64.8 million, to $198,019,189.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
Chatham-Kent spent $34M on running the town office in 2019 and $55.3M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 2 of 10 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
Chatham-Kent spent $28.4M on roads and snow in 2019 and $45M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 0 of 10 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
$13.2 milliondebt outstanding at December 31, 2025, per the Municipality's own fact sheet
The Municipality holds $198,019,189 in cash and $239,542,538 in investments, and also has long-term debt that its own fact sheet puts at $13.2 million. The Municipality has already answered this: it says it follows a "pay-as-you-go" approach, that borrowing is mainly from Infrastructure Ontario at low rates, and that these loans cannot be paid off early. It also says debt will fall to $1.1 million by December 31, 2031, if no new debt is approved, and that large borrowing is expected in the 2027 to 2030 term for water and wastewater work and for housing and a fire station.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$19.3Mgap between OCIF funding Chatham-Kent should receive in 2026 ($29.3M) and the cap ($10M)
The Municipality says it should receive $29.3M in 2026 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), a provincial grant for roads and bridges, but is capped at $10M. That leaves a $19.3M gap, which adds 2.00% to the tax increase. The staff proposal was a 4.92% increase. Council recommended 4.63%. The Municipality says staff found $9,056,307 in efficiencies. We could not read the budget minutes to see the amendments from 4.92% to 4.63%.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$4,146,420dividends received from Entegrus in 2025, against $8,180,557 of income counted from it
The Municipality owns 71.49% of Entegrus Inc., which distributes electricity in Chatham-Kent, Middlesex and Elgin. The audited statements show the stake at $62,066,568. In 2025 the Municipality counted $8,180,557 of income from it, but the cash it received in dividends was $4,146,420. The Municipality's own statements explain the gap: income from Entegrus is the Municipality's share of profit, and only the dividend is cash.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$39,698.44paid for Integrity Commissioner services from November 26, 2023 to December 31, 2024
The Integrity Commissioner (an outside contractor) handles complaints that a member of council broke the Code of Conduct. The only annual report we found, for November 26, 2023 to December 31, 2024, says there were 3 formal complaints and all were dismissed, and that the office cost $39,698.44. It also says 2 members of council did not reply to a request for a one-on-one meeting about the Code. We did not find a report for 2025, when the appointment ran out on November 26, 2025.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$75,323,759surplus in 2025, against a budgeted $36,155,552
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The 2025 budget planned for a surplus of $36,155,552. The audited statements show $75,323,759. The year before showed the same pattern: a budgeted $24,572,100 and an actual $74,931,420. Part of the gap is interest earned on savings. The investment income line was budgeted at the same $5,706,000 in both years, and earned $16,342,430 and then $20,941,939.
Why it matters
A budget is the promise made to taxpayers about what the year will cost. If the promise is low by tens of millions of dollars two years in a row, residents may be asked to pay more than the Municipality needed. The extra money is not lost: it goes into savings (reserves) and capital assets. The question is whether it was planned that way.
It could be because…
Budgets are set before the year starts. Interest rates and the amount of cash on hand can change, and the Municipality may budget interest cautiously on purpose.
Much of the surplus may pay for capital projects (roads, buildings, water pipes) that are done over several years, so it is saved and then spent, not left unused.
Revenue from user charges ($105,007,144 against $85,643,654 budgeted) may include water and wastewater fees that are set aside for those services.
Questions you could ask
How much of the 2025 surplus was planned (for example, for capital projects) and how much was a surprise?
Why has the investment income budget stayed at $5,706,000 when the last two years earned much more?
Which reserves received the 2025 surplus, and for what?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Statement of operations, 2025: "Excess of revenues over expenses" budget 36,155,552, actual 75,323,759 (2024 actual 74,931,420). "Investment income" budget 5,706,000, actual 20,941,939 (2024 actual 16,342,430). "User charges" budget 85,643,654, actual 105,007,144.
Statement of operations, 2024: "Excess of revenues over expenses" budget 24,572,100, actual 74,931,420. "Investment income" budget 5,706,000, actual 16,342,430.
Note 21, Budget figures: "Those capital projects benefiting and assessed to landowners and developers, for example water, wastewater, drainage, and industrial lands, are not budgeted for. The budgets established for capital fund operations are on a project-oriented basis, the costs of which may be carried out over one or more years and, therefore, may not be comparable with the current year amounts."
$15,148,665transportation spending above budget in 2025 ($74,337,726 against $59,189,061)
The audited statements compare each service's actual cost with its budget. Transportation services (roads, bridges, transit) cost $74,337,726 against a budget of $59,189,061. Recreation and cultural services cost $41,321,654 against $29,917,630. Environmental services (water, wastewater, waste) cost $65,198,335 against $88,639,036, well under budget. The same three lines were off in the same directions in 2024.
Why it matters
When some lines come in far over budget and others far under, it is hard for a resident to tell from the statements what each service really costs. Budget gaps of $10 million or more on a single line are worth an explanation in plain language.
It could be because…
The statements say budgets are set on a project basis and may not match the year's actual costs, so capital work can appear in a different year from its budget.
Amortization (the yearly wear on assets, counted as a cost) may be treated differently in the budget than in the statements. The segment schedule shows $25,030,101 of amortization in transportation alone.
Environmental services is budgeted at $88,639,036, which may include capital projects (waste, stormwater) planned for the year but carried out in later years.
Questions you could ask
What explains the difference between budget and actual on transportation, recreation and environmental services, line by line?
Does the budget count amortization the same way the audited statements do?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Statement of operations, 2025, "Expenses", budget then actual: Transportation services 59,189,061 and 74,337,726. Recreation and cultural services 29,917,630 and 41,321,654. Environmental services 88,639,036 and 65,198,335. Total expenses 465,307,886 and 465,010,062.
Statement of operations, 2024, "Expenses", budget then actual: Transportation services 59,257,032 and 71,724,911. Recreation and cultural services 29,721,417 and 32,196,433. Environmental services 86,575,845 and 62,890,756.
$199,957,915salaries and benefits in 2025 ($180,695,977 in 2024)
The audited statements show salaries and benefits of $199,957,915 in 2025, up from $180,695,977 in 2024, about 10.7% more. In its 2026 budget presentation, the Municipality says its workforce has grown by one tax-funded position per year, adding 10.34 full-time employees from 2018 to 2027, excluding Police Services and Pathways on Park staffing. The two numbers are not about the same thing, so they do not conflict. But the presentation does not explain the 2025 increase.
Why it matters
Pay and benefits are the biggest cost in any municipality. A reader of the budget slides could think staffing costs are flat, while the audited statements show a double-digit jump.
It could be because…
The presentation counts tax-funded positions only and leaves out Police Services and Pathways on Park. The statements cover everyone, including water and wastewater staff paid by user fees.
Wage settlements, shift premiums, benefit costs, and one-time items such as retroactive pay can raise the total without adding people.
Pensions and other employee benefit costs are charged through the same line and can move with actuarial reviews.
Questions you could ask
What drove the $19,261,938 increase in salaries and benefits in 2025: new positions, wage settlements, or one-time costs?
Can the Municipality publish staff counts for everyone, including police and water, beside the tax-funded count?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Slide text: "Population and service demands are rising, yet our workforce has grown by one tax-funded position per year." and "Adding only 10.34 full-time employees from 2018-2027 excluding Police Services and Pathways on Park staffing."
$105,201,774capital asset reserve at the end of 2025 ($149,414,236 a year earlier)
A reserve is money set aside for later. The reserve "for acquisition of tangible capital assets" (roads, buildings, vehicles) held $149,414,236 at the end of 2024 and $105,201,774 at the end of 2025. Reserves in total fell from $330,611,473 to $292,862,546. At the same time, cash rose by about $64.8 million, to $198,019,189.
Why it matters
Reserves are how the Municipality pays for big projects without borrowing or sharp tax jumps. A fall of this size shows how fast the savings are being spent. Knowing the plan helps residents judge whether the 2026 and 2027 budgets can still pay for roads and buildings without new debt.
It could be because…
Reserves exist to be spent. The Municipality has a large capital plan: its 2026 budget presentation shows $573M of capital investment for 2024 to 2027.
The money may have been moved, not lost. For example, to projects under construction (assets under construction were $91,108,202 at the end of 2025).
Rising cash may simply reflect projects not yet paid for.
Questions you could ask
Which projects used the capital reserve in 2025, and how much is committed for 2026 and 2027?
At the current pace, when would the capital reserve run low, and what is the plan then?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 14, Accumulated surplus, "Surplus allocated to reserves", 2025 then 2024: For acquisition of tangible capital assets 105,201,774 and 149,414,236. For various programs, facilities 88,606,764 and 89,410,637. Total 292,862,546 and 330,611,473.
Chatham-Kent spent $34M on running the town office in 2019 and $55.3M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 2 of 10 similar towns had faster growth here.
Why did the cost of running the town office grow 63% in 5 years?
Running the town office
Prices (inflation)
−20%+0%+20%+40%+60%+80%
+63%
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Running the town office
Prices (inflation)
2019
+0%
+0%
2020
−2%
+1%
2021
+19%
+4%
2022
+38%
+11%
2023
+61%
+16%
2024
+63%
+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 $21.3M a year pay for?
Why did office and administration go from $22.9M to $32.3M?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Running the town office: 2019 $34M, 2020 $33.5M, 2021 $40.6M, 2022 $47M, 2023 $54.8M, 2024 $55.3M.
Chatham-Kent spent $28.4M on roads and snow in 2019 and $45M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 0 of 10 similar towns had faster growth here.
Why did the cost of roads and snow grow 58% in 5 years?
Roads and snow
Prices (inflation)
+0%+20%+40%+60%
+58%
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Roads and snow
Prices (inflation)
2019
+0%
+0%
2020
+1%
+1%
2021
+9%
+4%
2022
+25%
+11%
2023
+39%
+16%
2024
+58%
+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 $16.6M a year pay for?
Why did paved roads go from $3.9M to $15.1M?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Chatham-Kent spent about $81 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $54. None of the 10 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
What makes this cost higher here than in similar towns?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Council per home: Chatham-Kent $81; typical similar town $54; ranked 1st highest of 11.
$13.2 milliondebt outstanding at December 31, 2025, per the Municipality's own fact sheet
The Municipality holds $198,019,189 in cash and $239,542,538 in investments, and also has long-term debt that its own fact sheet puts at $13.2 million. The Municipality has already answered this: it says it follows a "pay-as-you-go" approach, that borrowing is mainly from Infrastructure Ontario at low rates, and that these loans cannot be paid off early. It also says debt will fall to $1.1 million by December 31, 2031, if no new debt is approved, and that large borrowing is expected in the 2027 to 2030 term for water and wastewater work and for housing and a fire station.
Why it matters
Residents may reasonably wonder why a municipality with large savings has any debt. The answer given is a sound one, so this is context, not a concern. What is useful to know is how much new borrowing is expected after the October 26, 2026 election.
It could be because…
Most of the cash and investments belong to reserves and to deferred revenue the Municipality holds for specific purposes. Reserves were $292,862,546, and deferred revenue of $54,839,831 is held for others' purposes such as development charges.
The loans carry low interest. The fact sheet says 33% of the debt is at a rate below 3%.
Council has a stated plan to borrow for water, wastewater and housing, so paying down more now may not make sense.
Questions you could ask
How much new borrowing does the Municipality expect in the 2027 to 2030 term, and for which projects?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Fact sheet: "Chatham-Kent's current $13.2 million of debt". "Chatham-Kent has adopted a pay-as-you-go philosophy on most lifecycle projects." "Chatham-Kent has reduced its debt levels from a high of $162 million in 2010. If Council does not approve the use of debt for any new projects the debt level will fall to $1.1 million by December 31st, 2031." "33% of the outstanding debt is at interest rate below 3%. To obtain such historically low rates there are no options for early repayment offered by the issuing agencies."
$19.3Mgap between OCIF funding Chatham-Kent should receive in 2026 ($29.3M) and the cap ($10M)
The Municipality says it should receive $29.3M in 2026 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), a provincial grant for roads and bridges, but is capped at $10M. That leaves a $19.3M gap, which adds 2.00% to the tax increase. The staff proposal was a 4.92% increase. Council recommended 4.63%. The Municipality says staff found $9,056,307 in efficiencies. We could not read the budget minutes to see the amendments from 4.92% to 4.63%.
Why it matters
This is the Municipality's own explanation for a large part of the 2026 increase, and it blames a provincial cap, not local choices. Residents can judge it better with the grant figures beside the tax impact, and by knowing how the 2027 budget will treat the gap.
It could be because…
The cap is a provincial rule that applies to three municipalities, so the gap may be real and outside local control.
Efficiencies and changes in council amendments can explain the move from the proposed to the recommended figure.
The 2026 savings may be one-time, which would put pressure on the 2027 budget.
Questions you could ask
Which amendments took the 2026 increase from 4.92% to 4.63%, and were any of the efficiencies one-time?
How will the 2027 budget treat the OCIF cap if the Province does not change it?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Slides: "We should be receiving $29.3M in 2026, but we're capped at $10M. In 2026, this funding cap leaves us with a $19.3M funding imbalance." "With the OCIF funding cap in place, more infrastructure costs are municipally funded in 2026, resulting in a 2.00% higher tax increase."
News release: Council recommends a 4.63% budget increase, "$172" for the average household with an assessment of "$176,194", and says the OCIF gap is "$19 million" a year.
$4,146,420dividends received from Entegrus in 2025, against $8,180,557 of income counted from it
The Municipality owns 71.49% of Entegrus Inc., which distributes electricity in Chatham-Kent, Middlesex and Elgin. The audited statements show the stake at $62,066,568. In 2025 the Municipality counted $8,180,557 of income from it, but the cash it received in dividends was $4,146,420. The Municipality's own statements explain the gap: income from Entegrus is the Municipality's share of profit, and only the dividend is cash.
Why it matters
The stake is worth tens of millions of dollars and helps pay for services without taxes. Residents may want to know how much of the profit reaches the tax bill, and whether the stake is a long-term plan or something council might sell.
It could be because…
Utilities usually keep part of profit to rebuild their wires and meters, so dividends are lower than profit.
The dividend has been steady for two years ($4,146,420 and $4,146,622), which suggests an agreed policy.
Questions you could ask
Does council have a written dividend policy for Entegrus, and what share of profit does it return?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Statement of financial position: Investment in Entegrus Inc. (Note 5) 62,066,568. Statement of operations: Income from Entegrus Inc. 8,180,557 (budget 5,291,376).
$39,698.44paid for Integrity Commissioner services from November 26, 2023 to December 31, 2024
The Integrity Commissioner (an outside contractor) handles complaints that a member of council broke the Code of Conduct. The only annual report we found, for November 26, 2023 to December 31, 2024, says there were 3 formal complaints and all were dismissed, and that the office cost $39,698.44. It also says 2 members of council did not reply to a request for a one-on-one meeting about the Code. We did not find a report for 2025, when the appointment ran out on November 26, 2025.
Why it matters
The Integrity Commissioner is one of the few checks on how council members behave. A yearly report is how residents learn whether it works, and the 2026 election is a natural moment to see the latest one.
It could be because…
Complaints can be dismissed because they are outside the Commissioner's power (for example, council decisions), not because they lack substance. The report gives that reason for the dismissals.
The 2025 report may exist on the meeting portal, which we could not read from our scripts.
Two members not replying in the first weeks of a new Commissioner can have ordinary reasons, such as scheduling.
Questions you could ask
Where is the Integrity Commissioner's 2025 annual report, and who holds the role since November 26, 2025?
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 Chatham-Kent?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
"In the reporting period covered by this Annual Report, there were 3 formal complaints brought forward to this Office under the formal complaint process, all were dismissed." "I received responses and acceptances from the Mayor and 15 Members of Council. [...] 2 Members of Council did not respond to my request to meet." Statement of Expenditures: "$39,698.44 - Integrity Commissioner Services from November 26, 2023 to December 31, 2024".
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