Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Edwardsburgh-Cardinal's budget, taxes and council decisions. A township in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, in eastern Ontario, with a mayor, a deputy mayor and three ward councillors. It owns the Port of Johnstown on the St. Lawrence River. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow Edwardsburgh-Cardinal in one tapWhere it goes
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.
$6.5Min savings at the end of 2024
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Edwardsburgh-Cardinal had $6.5M saved at the end of 2024, down from $7.3M in 2019. That is 40% of one year's spending. Only 8 of 82 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$1,900,776annual surplus in 2025, against a budget of $5,882,162
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The audited statements show a 2025 annual surplus of $1,900,776. The 2025 budget in the same statements planned $5,882,162, so the result was about $3.98 million lower (worked out by us). Three lines explain most of it. Amortization (the yearly charge for wear on roads, buildings and equipment, which is not a cash payment) was budgeted at $1,631,563 and came in at $3,839,452. The Port of Johnstown, which the Township owns and which is counted in these statements, spent $8,198,199 against a budget of $6,446,262. And investment income was budgeted at $1,871,043 and came in at $336,625. Property taxes, at $7,329,405 against $7,347,434, came in close to budget.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$8,198,199spent by the Port of Johnstown in 2025, up from $6,548,358 in 2024
The Township owns the Port of Johnstown, a river port that handles bulk cargo and grain, and its numbers are added into the Township's statements. In 2025 the Port brought in $10,278,758, more than the Township's $7,329,405 of property taxes. The Port's spending rose from $6,548,358 in 2024 to $8,198,199 in 2025, an increase of about $1.65 million (worked out by us). Its wages and benefits rose from $3,068,021 to $4,063,834. Its revenue fell from $11,791,912 to $10,278,758. The Port's own annual surplus fell from $4,770,719 to $1,646,451. The Port paid the Township $2,200,000 in 2025 (none was shown in 2024) and the Township charged the Port $1,000,000 in administration fees. The Township's budget notes say the amount it expects from the Port is going down.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$9,097,292wages and benefits in 2025, up from $7,551,708 in 2024
The statements show wages and benefits of $9,097,292 for 2025, against $7,551,708 in 2024. That is an increase of about $1.55 million, or about 20% (worked out by us). The 2025 budget in the statements was $8,983,658. Most of the rise, about $996,000 (worked out by us), is at the Port, whose wages and benefits went from $3,068,021 to $4,063,834. In the Township's own budget book, salaries and benefits came in at $4,297,088.71 against a council-approved budget of $4,082,181. The Township's contribution to the OMERS pension plan rose from $462,281 to $571,798. The Township has said one reason: its 2025 budget book noted that salaries and benefits included a "one-time increase of compensation review".
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$11,953,173current liabilities of Rideau St. Lawrence Holdings at the end of 2025, up from $6,275,441
The Township owns 11.92% of Rideau St. Lawrence Holdings Inc., a company the statements call a government business enterprise (a publicly owned business). The statements show a long-term receivable of $225,000 owed by the company to the Township, at 3.72% interest. The statements say it "has no specific terms of repayment, and is unsecured". They also show that the company's long-term debt was $3,109,222 at the end of 2024 and nothing at the end of 2025, while its current liabilities (what it owes within a year) rose from $6,275,441 to $11,953,173. The Township's investment in it is $757,036.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$1,345,830swing in the Industrial Park reserve fund in 2025, from a deficit of $378,282 to $967,548 (worked out by us)
A reserve fund is money set aside for a purpose. The Township's schedule of accumulated surplus lists its funds at the end of 2025 and 2024. The Industrial Park reserve fund was in deficit by $378,282 at the end of 2024 and held $967,548 at the end of 2025. A fund called "GIC investment" held $1,320,727 at the end of 2024 and nothing at the end of 2025. The Cardinal Hydro reserve fund went from $214,564 to $9,409. Total reserves and reserve funds were almost unchanged, $6,371,260 against $6,486,941.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$1,218,385in the Water and sewer reserve fund at the end of 2025, down from $1,610,945
The statements say the water and wastewater operations had a net surplus of $141,629 in 2025, after a deficit of $299,351 in 2024. The Water and sewer reserve fund fell from $1,610,945 to $1,218,385, a drop of $392,560 (worked out by us). The Environmental segment, which includes water, sewer and waste, took in $2,053,014 in fees and service charges and recorded $500,757 of amortization (the yearly charge for wear on pipes and plants) in 2025.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
Under section 284 of the Municipal Act, 2001, a municipality's treasurer prepares a yearly statement of what each member of council was paid and what expenses were paid for them. As of October 5, 2026, the Township's Council page lists reports for 2018 to 2024 and none for 2025. We did not look beyond that page, so a 2025 statement may exist elsewhere, for instance in a council agenda.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
2024 tax year · Edwardsburgh-Cardinal, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Edwardsburgh-Cardinal's share pays for.
Ontario still uses property values from January 1, 2016 for tax, so your assessed value is probably well below what your home would sell for today.
It is on your property assessment notice from MPAC, and on your tax bill. We filled in the typical value in Edwardsburgh-Cardinal.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
Edwardsburgh-Cardinal council sets only its own share. County or region sets its share, the Province sets the school rate.
An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits Edwardsburgh-Cardinal's share by what each service cost in 2024 after its own fees and grants (for example, water bills pay for much of a water system). Real bills also depend on your property class, local charges and any rebates.
Local businesses can sponsor this page · How it works →
Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.
We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.
Council meetings are open to the public, and councillors answer to you. How to reach Edwardsburgh-Cardinal's council · Council Books is free and paid for by readers: support this work.