Questions · 14 so far
We read Clearview's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 85 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
$9.5Min savings at the end of 2023
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Clearview had $9.5M saved at the end of 2023, down from $13.4M in 2019. That is 37% of one year's spending. Only 2 of 85 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$124per home on council, 2023
Clearview spent about $124 per home on council in 2023. The typical similar town spent $49. Only 7 of 85 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$75,672,503total of loans owing and planned, in the 2026 budget's loan table
The 2026 budget lists $75,672,503 in loans, counting both money already owed and loans planned for later. Four of the loans start in 2026 or later and together come to $55,575,000 (worked out by us from the table). The budget says 53.1% of loan payments will come from development charges, which are fees developers pay when they build new homes. It also says substantial development is on hold until water servicing is solved, and that growth-driven projects will not go ahead if the growth does not happen.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$35,000,000planned loan for the Stayner Water Solution, beside a $35 million Province fund for the same area's water project
The budget says the Province announced a $35 million fund that will go toward the Klondike Park Road water solution. The capital table for water projects has two Klondike Park Road lines worth $36,562,030 and $22,896,907 and a grants subtotal of 35,000,000. The loan table also lists a separate $35,000,000 "Stayner Water Solution" loan starting in 2027. The pages we read do not say whether the loan and the grant are two sources for one project or two layers of the same money.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$134 milliontotal budget in the adopted package, against $140.7 million in the staff-presented summary
The adopted budget package says the total 2026 budget is $134 million, with an operating budget of $21.41 million (16%) and a capital budget of $103.9 million (84%). The staff-presented summary says $140.7 million, with operating at $36.8 million (26%) and capital at $103.9 million (74%). The two documents also give a different net residential tax increase (2.09% against 2.06%) and a different property tax total ($23.8 million against $24.9 million). Adding the package's own operating and capital figures gives $125.31 million, not $134 million (worked out by us).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$6,215,676Administration total expenses in 2024, against a budget of $4,244,545
The 2026 budget shows the Administration department's 2024 budget and what it actually recorded. Total expenses were $4,244,545 budgeted and $6,215,676 actual, a gap of $1,971,131 (worked out by us). Transfers to reserves, which are savings set aside for later, were budgeted at $561,000 and came in at $2,009,505. The insurance line was budgeted at $97,025 and came in at $379,350 in 2024. For 2025 it was budgeted at $104,627 and shows $708,030 as at June 30. The 2026 budget for it is $44,669.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$3,610,659owing on the 7308 Highway 26 purchase loan, January 2026
The loan table lists a $3,610,659 loan for 7308 Highway 26, borrowed in 2025 and paid off in 2045, with the note "Purchase Price". In the 2026 Administration budget, one expense line reads "Stayner Care Centre & Brock St Loan" at 280,000, and one revenue line reads "Fund 7308 Hwy 26 from Affordable Housing Reserve" at 280,000. The pages we read do not say what the property is for or how the two lines connect.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
2020year of the newest council pay statement we found on the Finance page
The Finance Reports & Statements page lists a yearly Statement of Remuneration and Expenses for 2014 through 2020. We did not find a statement for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025 on that page. The 2020 statement is the newest posted. Because of this, no council pay table is in this pack.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
+90%roads and snow, 2019 to 2023
Clearview spent $4.0M on roads and snow in 2019 and $7.5M in 2023. Prices only went up about 16% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
+53%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2023
Clearview spent $2.8M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $4.2M in 2023. Prices only went up about 16% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$4.1Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2023
At the end of 2023, $4.1M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 3 of 85 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $2.9M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
February 7, 2026date the 2026 budget was adopted, 30 days after the Mayor presented it
Under the Province's strong mayor powers, which reached Clearview on May 1, 2025, the Mayor presents the budget and Council has 30 days to amend it. The Township's timeline says staff presented a proposed budget on November 17 and 18, 2025, the Mayor presented a proposed budget on January 8, 2026, and the budget was adopted on February 7, 2026. The budget page lists the timeline, a staff-presented summary and the final package. We did not find a separate document for the Mayor's version, or a record on the strong mayor page of what changed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
28 pagesof scanned pictures in the 2024 audited statements file
The 2023 and 2024 audited statements are posted as PDFs in which every page is one scanned picture, with a text layer made by character recognition. In our reading, the text of the money tables was scrambled, so figures cannot be reliably searched, copied or read by a screen reader.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$226per home on snow ploughing, 2023
Clearview spent about $226 per home on snow ploughing in 2023. The typical similar town spent $88. Only 1 of 85 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$9.5Min savings at the end of 2023
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Clearview had $9.5M saved at the end of 2023, down from $13.4M in 2019. That is 37% of one year's spending. Only 2 of 85 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
| Year | Savings (reserves) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $13.4M |
| 2020 | $13.3M |
| 2021 | $15.3M |
| 2022 | $13.5M |
| 2023 | $9.5M |
With little saved, a broken bridge or a storm has to be paid for with a sudden tax increase or a loan. Low savings can also mean past budgets were balanced by spending savings instead of facing the real cost.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Savings (reserves and reserve funds): 2019 $13.4M, 2020 $13.3M, 2021 $15.3M, 2022 $13.5M, 2023 $9.5M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 70, line 6420 · archived copy
Typical among similar towns: savings equal to 93% of a year's spending. Clearview: 37%.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2023, 85 similar municipalities · Schedules 40 and 70 · archived copy
$124per home on council, 2023
Clearview spent about $124 per home on council in 2023. The typical similar town spent $49. Only 7 of 85 similar towns spent more.
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.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Council per home: Clearview $124; typical similar town $49; ranked 8th highest of 86.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2023, 85 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy
$75,672,503total of loans owing and planned, in the 2026 budget's loan table
The 2026 budget lists $75,672,503 in loans, counting both money already owed and loans planned for later. Four of the loans start in 2026 or later and together come to $55,575,000 (worked out by us from the table). The budget says 53.1% of loan payments will come from development charges, which are fees developers pay when they build new homes. It also says substantial development is on hold until water servicing is solved, and that growth-driven projects will not go ahead if the growth does not happen.
A loan has to be repaid whether or not the new homes are built. If the fees do not arrive on time, the gap falls on water and sewer users or on property taxes. Residents should know what happens 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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The loan table ends with "$75,672,503 Total". It includes "$35,000,000 Stayner Water Solution 2027 2057 30 5.00% Growth driven Water supply solution", "$10,000,000 Creemore Sewer Plant 2027 2047 20 5.00%" and "$7,000,000 Misc. Watermains 2030 2050 20 5.00%". The page says rows highlighted in yellow are loans proposed for projects not yet finalized.
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 84, Total Outstanding Loans and Proposed Loans
"Only 14.2% of loan payments, including the projected new debt, will come from property taxes. 23.9% will come from water or sewer user fees, 53.1% from Development Charges paid by developers constructing new buildings".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 86, Funding for Loans
"Until solutions are found for the servicing this growth, however, substantial development is on hold."
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 20, Development Charge Revenue
"The large jump in capital since 2022 is primarily growth related and funded from development charges and developer contributions. If the growth doesn't occur, the projects will not go forward."
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 21, What is the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget?
"DC contributions are based on new growth projections of 146 SDUs as follows; 121 SDUs in Stayner and 25 SDUs in Creemore and 0 SDUs in rural areas."
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 87, Reserve and Reserve Funds
$35,000,000planned loan for the Stayner Water Solution, beside a $35 million Province fund for the same area's water project
The budget says the Province announced a $35 million fund that will go toward the Klondike Park Road water solution. The capital table for water projects has two Klondike Park Road lines worth $36,562,030 and $22,896,907 and a grants subtotal of 35,000,000. The loan table also lists a separate $35,000,000 "Stayner Water Solution" loan starting in 2027. The pages we read do not say whether the loan and the grant are two sources for one project or two layers of the same money.
A $35 million loan at a planned 5.00% for 30 years is a large promise. Residents should be able to see how much of the project is paid by a grant, how much by developers, and how much by borrowing.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"Clearview received a huge boost from the Provincial Government with the announcement of the $35 million dollar Housing Enabling Water System Fund. This funding will go towards the Klondike Park Road water solution".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 20, Development Charge Revenue
The water capital table lists "KPR Well Site $36,562,030 $20,000,000 $16,562,030 36,562,030" and "KPR Watermain $22,896,907 $15,000,000 $7,896,907 22,896,907". The Municipal Waterworks subtotal row prints 78,240,677 in total and 35,000,000 in the second money column. The table's columns did not stay in line in the text we read, so we do not say which source each amount belongs to.
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 32, Municipal Water Services capital projects
The loan table lists "$35,000,000 Stayner Water Solution 2027 2057 30 5.00% Growth driven Water supply solution".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 84, Total Outstanding Loans and Proposed Loans
$134 milliontotal budget in the adopted package, against $140.7 million in the staff-presented summary
The adopted budget package says the total 2026 budget is $134 million, with an operating budget of $21.41 million (16%) and a capital budget of $103.9 million (84%). The staff-presented summary says $140.7 million, with operating at $36.8 million (26%) and capital at $103.9 million (74%). The two documents also give a different net residential tax increase (2.09% against 2.06%) and a different property tax total ($23.8 million against $24.9 million). Adding the package's own operating and capital figures gives $125.31 million, not $134 million (worked out by us).
People use the budget summary to judge what the Township will spend and what their tax bill will do. When the headline totals differ between documents, it is hard to know which one to trust.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"Clearview has a total budget of $134 million", "The operating budget is $21.41 million which represents 16% of the total municipal budget" and "The capital budget is $103.9 million which represents 84% of the total Clearview budget".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 21, What is the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget?
"Clearview's total Fiscal 2026 budget is $140.7 million", "The operating budget is $36.8 million which represents 26% of the total municipal budget" and "The capital budget is $103.9 million which represents 74% of the total Clearview budget".
2026 Staff Presented Budget Summary · PDF page 9, What is the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget?
"The 2026 Corporate Budget includes an estimated net residential tax increase of 2.09%, which would be an approximate $31.76 increase to taxes for each $100,000 of assessed value." Page 13 says "property taxes will amount to $23.8 million".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 12, 2026 Budget Summary, and PDF page 13
"The 2026 Staff Presented Corporate Budget includes an estimated net residential tax increase of 2.06%, which would be an approximate $25.49 increase to taxes for each $100,000 of assessed value." Page 7 says "estimated property taxes will amount to $24.9million".
2026 Staff Presented Budget Summary · PDF page 6, 2026 Budget Summary, and PDF page 7
$6,215,676Administration total expenses in 2024, against a budget of $4,244,545
The 2026 budget shows the Administration department's 2024 budget and what it actually recorded. Total expenses were $4,244,545 budgeted and $6,215,676 actual, a gap of $1,971,131 (worked out by us). Transfers to reserves, which are savings set aside for later, were budgeted at $561,000 and came in at $2,009,505. The insurance line was budgeted at $97,025 and came in at $379,350 in 2024. For 2025 it was budgeted at $104,627 and shows $708,030 as at June 30. The 2026 budget for it is $44,669.
A budget is the promise about what a year will cost. Large gaps between the promise and the result make it hard to tell whether the budget is a plan or a guess. The gap here is mostly money set aside, which is different from overspending, but the pages we read do not say so.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Administration Operating Budget Analysis, TOTAL EXPENSE: "4,244,545 6,215,676 4,367,677 1,267,696 5,082,786", read as 2024 budgeted, 2024 actual, 2025 budgeted, 2025 actual as at June 30 and 2026 budgeted.
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 38, 2026 Administration Operating Budget Analysis, TOTAL EXPENSE row
Same table, Transfer to Reserves: "561,000 2,009,505 561,000 0 599,000". The Administration line reads "725,719 1,080,307 730,350 277,421 1,133,412".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 38, Transfer to Reserves row and Administration row
Same table, Insurance: "97,025 379,350 104,627 708,030 44,669". Contracted Services: "408,610 371,837 336,670 -988,083 422,283".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 38, Insurance row and Contracted Services row
$3,610,659owing on the 7308 Highway 26 purchase loan, January 2026
The loan table lists a $3,610,659 loan for 7308 Highway 26, borrowed in 2025 and paid off in 2045, with the note "Purchase Price". In the 2026 Administration budget, one expense line reads "Stayner Care Centre & Brock St Loan" at 280,000, and one revenue line reads "Fund 7308 Hwy 26 from Affordable Housing Reserve" at 280,000. The pages we read do not say what the property is for or how the two lines connect.
Buying a property with a 20-year loan commits taxpayers for a long time. A short plain note on what was bought, why and what it will be used for would answer the obvious questions.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Council reports on buying 7308 Highway 26, with wording you can copy.
The loan table lists "$3,610,659 7308 Highway 26 2025 2045 20 4.04% Purchase Price".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 84, Total Outstanding Loans and Proposed Loans
The Administration budget has a 2026 expense line "Stayner Care Centre & Brock St Loan 280,000" and a revenue line "Fund 7308 Hwy 26 from Affordable Housing Reserve 280,000".
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 38, 2026 Administration Operating Budget Analysis
2020year of the newest council pay statement we found on the Finance page
The Finance Reports & Statements page lists a yearly Statement of Remuneration and Expenses for 2014 through 2020. We did not find a statement for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025 on that page. The 2020 statement is the newest posted. Because of this, no council pay table is in this pack.
What each elected member is paid and claims in expenses is basic public information, and it is easiest to compare across years when every year is posted in one place.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Council remuneration and expenses statements, 2021 to 2025, with wording you can copy.
The page's "Statements of Remuneration and Expenses" list reads: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014. No later year is listed.
Finance Reports & Statements (Township web page) · Statements of Remuneration and Expenses list
The 2020 statement is titled "2020 Statement of Remuneration". Its council pay table does not keep its columns in line in the text, so we copied no amounts from it.
2020 Statement of Remuneration · pages 1 to 3, council table
+90%roads and snow, 2019 to 2023
Clearview spent $4.0M on roads and snow in 2019 and $7.5M in 2023. Prices only went up about 16% in that time.
| Year | Roads and snow | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +32% | +1% |
| 2021 | +55% | +4% |
| 2022 | +71% | +11% |
| 2023 | +90% | +16% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
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.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Roads and snow: 2019 $4.0M, 2020 $5.2M, 2021 $6.1M, 2022 $6.8M, 2023 $7.5M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Paved roads, from $1.4M to $2.8M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
+53%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2023
Clearview spent $2.8M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $4.2M in 2023. Prices only went up about 16% in that time.
| Year | Water, sewers and garbage | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +15% | +1% |
| 2021 | +18% | +4% |
| 2022 | +58% | +11% |
| 2023 | +53% | +16% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
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.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Water, sewers and garbage: 2019 $2.8M, 2020 $3.2M, 2021 $3.3M, 2022 $4.4M, 2023 $4.2M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Sewer pipes, from $1.3M to $2.1M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$4.1Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2023
At the end of 2023, $4.1M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 3 of 85 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $2.9M.
| Year | Unpaid property tax at year end |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3.0M |
| 2020 | $3.2M |
| 2021 | $2.8M |
| 2022 | $2.9M |
| 2023 | $4.1M |
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.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Taxes receivable: 2019 $3.0M, 2020 $3.2M, 2021 $2.8M, 2022 $2.9M, 2023 $4.1M. Of the 2023 total, $1.1M was from earlier years.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2023 · Schedule 70, lines 0610 to 0699 · archived copy
Typical among similar towns: 6.9% of taxes billed.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2023, 85 similar municipalities · Schedules 26 and 70 · archived copy
February 7, 2026date the 2026 budget was adopted, 30 days after the Mayor presented it
Under the Province's strong mayor powers, which reached Clearview on May 1, 2025, the Mayor presents the budget and Council has 30 days to amend it. The Township's timeline says staff presented a proposed budget on November 17 and 18, 2025, the Mayor presented a proposed budget on January 8, 2026, and the budget was adopted on February 7, 2026. The budget page lists the timeline, a staff-presented summary and the final package. We did not find a separate document for the Mayor's version, or a record on the strong mayor page of what changed.
The budget sets the yearly tax bill. When the power to propose it sits with one person, residents will want to see what that person proposed and what Council did with 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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Timeline: staff presents proposed budget November 17, 2025 and November 18, 2025; public engagement December 8, 2025; Mayor presents proposed budget January 8, 2026 ("Council has 30 days to pass a resolution to amend the budget"); budget adopted February 7, 2026 ("Amendment deadline").
2026 Budget Timeline · page 1
"The Mayor presented their proposed Operating and Capital budget to the Council for their input, comments and suggestions on January 8, 2026." and "After the 30 day resolution period, the budget is deemed to be adopted on February 7, 2026."
2026 Budget Package · PDF page 78, Budget Process
The Mayoral decisions table lists a decision dated 2025-08-11 (MDE-25-11) directing finance staff to prepare a staff-proposed 2026 budget. We did not find a table entry about the budget itself between January 8 and February 7, 2026.
Strong Mayor Powers (Township web page) · Mayoral Decisions and Directives table
28 pagesof scanned pictures in the 2024 audited statements file
The 2023 and 2024 audited statements are posted as PDFs in which every page is one scanned picture, with a text layer made by character recognition. In our reading, the text of the money tables was scrambled, so figures cannot be reliably searched, copied or read by a screen reader.
The audited statements are the one check on the Township's books by an outside accountant. If residents cannot reliably read them, or only see them long after the year ended, the check does less good. The Township is not accused of anything here; this is about how easy the documents are to use. We took no figure from these files for this pack.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The 2024 statements file has 28 PDF pages, and each page is a single scanned image with text added by character recognition.
Consolidated Financial Report, December 31, 2024 · whole file, checked page by page
The 2023 statements file has 29 PDF pages, and each page is a single scanned image with text added by character recognition.
2023 Audited Financial Statements · whole file, checked page by page
$226per home on snow ploughing, 2023
Clearview spent about $226 per home on snow ploughing in 2023. The typical similar town spent $88. Only 1 of 85 similar towns spent more.
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.
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 Clearview? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Snow ploughing per home: Clearview $226; typical similar town $88; ranked 2nd highest of 86.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2023, 85 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy