Your city, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Clarence-Rockland's budget, taxes and council decisions. A bilingual City east of Ottawa, in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, with a mayor and eight ward councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
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Questions worth asking
Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.
+8%city property tax, 2024 to 2025
In 2025, Clarence-Rockland collected $2.3M more in its own property tax than in 2024. That is a 8% jump, while prices went up about 2.1%. Only 2 of 23 similar places raised theirs by more.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 3 sources
+102%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2025
Clarence-Rockland spent $4.0M on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $8.1M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 2 of 23 similar places had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 3 sources
2 yearsin a row the report uses both "present fairly" and "Qualified Opinion", with no reason given
An auditor's report tells residents whether the City's statements can be trusted. A clean report says the statements "present fairly" the City's finances. A qualified report says they do, except for a named problem, and it must say what the problem is. In both the 2025 and 2024 reports, one paragraph says the statements "present fairly", and the next paragraph says the evidence is enough for the auditor's "Qualified Opinion". No paragraph in either report says what is qualified. The French side of each report says the same ("opinion avec réserve"). We did not find an explanation on the pages we read.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$8,987,885accounts receivable at December 31, 2025, against $2,895,714 a year earlier
"Accounts receivable" is money other people or governments owe the City at year end. It is separate from unpaid property taxes and unpaid water, sewer and waste bills, which the statements list on their own lines and which barely moved (taxes receivable $3,885,918; user charges receivable $2,160,399). The accounts receivable line more than tripled in one year. The cash flow statement shows the increase as $6,092,171. We did not find a note or budget page that explains what the line is made of. In the same year, provincial money for capital projects was $5,729,812 against $1,371,187 the year before, which may be related, but the statements do not say so.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$1,564,714interest and penalties on taxes in 2025, against $380,000 in the 2026 budget
A budget is the City's plan for the year. In 2025 the statements show "Interest and penalties on taxes" (charges on late tax payments) of $1,564,714 against a budget of $462,780, and "Interest income" of $1,077,085 against $309,735. Together with "Other income" of $573,303 against $14,000, the general "Other revenues" line came in at $5,448,170 against a budget of $2,369,264. The 2026 budget keeps the two lines at $380,000 and $269,370, the same as its 2025 budget page shows. The budget pages do not say why.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 2 sources
$44,835,6912025 capital budget, against $19,933,956 spent on capital assets
Capital spending is money for things that last, such as pipes, roads and buildings. The 2025 capital budget schedule totals $44,835,691, including $6,278,302 to be borrowed. The cash flow statement shows $19,933,956 spent on buying capital assets and $742,233 of new borrowing. Even counting assets that were handed to the City (contributed), note 7 shows additions of $25,766,705, which is about 57% of the budget (worked out by us). One watermain project, "New watermain: Caron booster station to 2 km South of Baseline Road", is $22,261,418 of the budget. The statements' own budget note lists capital expenses of $12,856,523, not $44,835,691, and we do not know why the two differ.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
$10,364,419to be borrowed under the 2026 capital budget of $40,057,973
The 2026 capital budget is $40,057,973. Of that, $10,364,419 is to be paid for with debt (loans). The largest piece is project PL2608, "Land purchase and design of the sports center", at $6,365,000, of which $6,065,000 is debt. Another $1,100,000 for "Land acquisition" has $650,000 of debt. The Phase 2 St-Jean Street rebuild is $15,010,000, with $3,010,619 of debt. The City's loans stood at $32,809,719 at December 31, 2025. The statements show $27,577,007 of contract payments due in 2026, against about $4 million a year after that. The City's 2026 debt payments are budgeted at $2,669,800, up from $2,404,816. The budget pages are tables and do not give a repayment plan.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
$218,671sewer operating deficit at December 31, 2025, up from $46,422
Sewer service is paid for by sewer charges, not by property tax. At December 31, 2025, the sewer operating fund stood at a deficit of $218,671, up from $46,422 a year earlier, while the other operating funds were in surplus. The 2026 budget sets sewer revenue and costs equal at $4,041,205, and the "Contribution to reserves" line for sewers is blank. Water, by contrast, puts $1,491,879 into reserves. Sewer reserves were $1,451,910. The City's biggest loan for sewers is $9,986,878.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 6 sources
+56%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2025
Clarence-Rockland spent $6.5M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $10.1M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 2 sources
$26.1Min savings at the end of 2025
Places keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Clarence-Rockland had $26.1M saved at the end of 2025, up from $12.3M in 2019. That is 56% of one year's spending. Only 3 of 23 similar places had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 2 sources
$38,639,420cash at December 31, 2025, against $32,809,719 of long-term loans
At December 31, 2025 the City held $38,639,420 in cash, nearly double the $20,370,238 a year before. Its investments fell from $16,465,997 to $6,149,375 as Guaranteed Investment Certificates (fixed-term savings) matured; the cash flow statement shows $10,316,622 coming back from investments. The City also owed $32,809,719 in long-term loans and paid $1,252,294 in interest on its debt in 2025, while earning $1,077,085 in interest income. Much of the cash is not free to spend: deferred revenue (money received for a set purpose) was $18,507,351, including $12,865,803 of development charges and $4,241,225 of transfer payments. The statements explain the rise in cash, so this is context, not a gap.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
$244per home on garbage, dump and recycling, 2025
Clarence-Rockland spent about $244 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar city spent $84. Only 2 of 23 similar places spent more.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 1 source
A property tax bill in Clarence-Rockland pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the city, and that part is what Clarence-Rockland council controls.
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We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
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