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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Dawson'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.
A clear, checkable guide to Dawson's budget, taxes and council decisions. A small township in the Rainy River District of northwestern Ontario, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
$2,481,440landfill closure and care liability at December 31, 2025, against a $61,254 landfill closure reserve
Under accounting rules the Township must book a liability for closing and looking after its two landfills (the Blue and Worthington sites) after they stop taking waste. At December 31, 2025 that liability was $2,481,440. It is the reason the Township shows net financial debt of $950,569 even though its only borrowing is a small set of farm drainage loans that landowners repay. The note that explains it gives "estimated total undiscounted future expenditures" of $195,000 for the Blue site and $342,672 for the Worthington site (together $537,672, worked out by us), which is much less than the liability. The note does not explain how one becomes the other. The reserve set aside for landfill closure is $61,254. In March 2026 council hired an engineering firm to report on closure costs and life expectancy for the Worthington site.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
At the end of 2025, $95,474 of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 12% of everything billed. Only 1 of 6 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $80,252.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$834,500budgeted for the Rempel Drain in 2026, against $100,000 budgeted in 2025
The 2026 budget more than triples the Township's planned spending on drainage: the Rempel Drain is budgeted at $834,500, up from $100,000 in 2025, when $26,790 was spent. The budget counts on a $510,180 provincial grant, $280,820 from property owners and $14,750 from other townships (together $805,750, worked out by us, which is $28,750 less than the cost). On July 8, 2026 council sent the engineer's report back for changes (a closed South Drain and a one-metre grass buffer). On September 2, 2026 the bylaw was given first and second reading and provisionally adopted. A landowner asked at that meeting how costs should be split for solar farms in the drainage area.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
June 3, 2026the budget meeting; minutes record the tax levy bylaw but no budget motion
Council said in May 2026 that the budget would be "considered and passed at the June meeting", and the Township gave public notice of the June 3, 2026 meeting to consider the 2026 budget and tax rates. The minutes of June 3 say council "discussed the proposed 2026 budget" and record that the tax levying bylaw (By-law No 492) was enacted, but we did not find a motion or bylaw adopting the budget itself. The June 4, 2025 minutes read the same way for the 2025 budget.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
3302894 vs 3,564,781accumulated surplus at the end of 2025: budget book "actual" column vs audited statements
The 2026 budget book (dated June 3rd 2026, after the audit) shows a 2025 "actual" operating surplus of 265901 and an accumulated surplus at the end of 2025 of 3302894. The audited statements show an operating surplus of 309,773 and 3,564,781. The budget book's opening 2025 surplus (3036993) matches the audited 2024 opening figure, not the audited 2025 opening figure (3,255,008). Part of the revenue gap is explained: the book counts gas tax revenue of 39883, while the audited note shows federal transfers of 83,755 (a difference of 43,872, worked out by us).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$22,800total council remuneration budgeted for 2026 (whole council)
The April 1, 2026 minutes say the annual council remuneration report was circulated to council. We did not find a pay and expenses statement on the budget and financial information page or elsewhere on the Township's website. The 2026 budget shows a total for council remuneration of 22800 (21525 actual in 2025). This is the whole-council total, not a figure for any one member, and we have not listed individual pay.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
95,474taxes receivable at December 31, 2025 (80,252 a year earlier)
Taxes receivable (tax owed to the Township) were 95,474 at the end of 2025, up from 80,252. The part one year or more past due was 28,321 against 18,255 a year earlier (worked out by us). In March 2026 the Township had sent 35 notices of tax sale; by May 6, 2026, 12 of the 35 had been fully or partly paid.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
No amount givencommitment shown without a dollar figure in Note 16
Note 16 to the 2025 statements says the Township agreed with two other organizations to build housing for locum doctors in the Town of Rainy River, and that if grants and donations fall short the parties will provide the money as repayable loans at prime. The note gives no amount, and the Township's share is not stated.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
881,399government transfers in 2025, out of 1,877,846 total revenue
Government transfers were 881,399 of 1,877,846 in 2025 revenue. The largest steady one is the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund at 472,400 in both 2025 and 2024; the 2026 budget plans 465600. The 2026 budget also counts on a one-time $510,180 grant for the Rempel Drain.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
In 2019, Dawson had $1.1M more in cash and money owed to it than it owed to others. By 2025 it was −$951K. About 121% of that change ($2.5M) is a new accounting rule from 2023: towns must now record the future cost of closing things like a landfill. That is not new spending or borrowing. Even leaving that out, only 4 of 6 similar towns are in a weaker position.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
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