Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026Details
This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 youRead by hand. We read Erin'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.
Council
Who decides, and how you can hold them to account
Erin is run by an elected council of 5 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the town day to day.
Current council
- MayorMichael Dehn
- CouncillorJohn Brennan
- CouncillorCathy Aylard
- CouncillorJamie Cheyne
- CouncillorBridget Ryan
Names and official email addresses from the town's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.
How open is Erin?
What a resident can find online without asking, as of October 5, 2026.
- YesBudgets posted online
The 2026 budget book and the 2025 budget are posted as PDFs. The 2024 budget and quarterly financial reports up to 2023 are posted on a separate page. Source
- PartlyAudited financial statements
The Town's financial statements page lists statements for 2023 (with a clean opinion dated November 14, 2024), 2019 and 2018. We did not find the 2024 or 2025 audited statements on the pages we read. Source
- YesCouncil minutes and agendas
Agendas, minutes and meeting videos are listed on the Town's eSCRIBE portal. In the portal's meeting list on October 5, 2026, regular council meetings up to June 25, 2026 had minutes posted, and the meetings of July 23, September 10 and September 24, 2026 did not yet. The portal's document links returned a browser check to our plain download, so we could not open agendas or minutes. Source
- UnknownCouncil pay and expenses statement
We did not find a statement of council remuneration and expenses on the Town's website pages we read, and could not search the portal's documents. Source
- Unknown2022 election candidate finances
The Town's 2022 election page links the official results report. We did not find candidates' financial statements there. Source
Ask for the records
Anyone can ask the town for its records under Ontario's Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). You do not have to say why. Here is how it works, and the wording for the records that would answer the questions on this site.
- Send the request in writing to the town clerk (the freedom of information coordinator), on the town’s form or in a letter, with the $5 application fee.
- Describe the records, not the answer you want. Dates, departments and the kind of record (a list, invoices, emails) make a request quicker and cheaper.
- The town has 45 business days to answer (the law changed in 2026; older guides say 30 days). It can charge for search time and copies, but must send an estimate first if the fees will be over $25.
- Some parts can be held back, such as legal advice or personal information about other people. The town must say which part of the law it relied on.
- If you are refused, or the fees seem too high, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner within 30 business days of the town’s decision.
The town's request form (on its Forms page) · The law · Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Wastewater plant front-end fund: ledger and agreements, 2022 to 2026
The audited 2023 statements and the 2026 budget book show very different balances for the plant's developer money. A ledger and a list of the agreements show what moved. Related question: Why does the wastewater plant's front-end fund show minus $12,111,059 at the end of 2024, when the audited statements showed $23,254,957 a year earlier?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the transaction ledger for the reserve fund "WWTP Front Ended Agreements" from January 1, 2022 to the latest date available, a list of the front-ending agreements with the amount each developer has paid and is owed, and the reconciliation of this fund to Schedule 3 of the 2023 audited financial statements.
Financing plan and cost estimates for the new recreation centre
The 2027 capital plan carries $30,000,000 for the centre. The plan for paying for it is not in the budget book. Related question: How will the Town pay for a $30,000,000 recreation centre in 2027 when its recreation development charge fund is forecast at $5,654,015?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request staff reports, feasibility studies, cost estimates and financing plans for the proposed multi-use recreation centre, including any forecast of development charge collections for the Parks and Recreation development charge reserve fund for 2026 to 2030.
Audited consolidated financial statements for 2024 and 2025
The statements page lists 2023 as the latest. The statements, with the auditor's report to council, show how the plant money and the general deficit were handled. Related question: Why do the Town's 2023 statements show a $74,994,188 surplus and also a general deficit of $2,047,439?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2025, and the auditor's reports to council for each year.
Building permit revenue and building reserve fund, 2024 to 2026
The budget cut the permit line from $1,500,000 to $300,000 and forecasts the building reserve below zero. Actual figures show how big the gap is. Related question: Why does the 2026 budget count on $1,200,000 less in building permit fees, and why is the building reserve forecast to go below zero?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the actual building permit revenue, building department expenses and building reserve fund balance for 2024, 2025 and 2026 to date, and any report to council about them.
The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the town says a request is too broad or too costly.
How to raise a concern
From the gentlest step to the most serious. Start at the top.
Integrity Commissioner
The Town says its Integrity Commissioner is a lawyer from an outside firm who advises members of council and looks into complaints under the Code of Conduct and the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. We did not find any Integrity Commissioner reports on the pages we read.
Closed meeting investigator: Ontario Ombudsman
The Town says the Ontario Ombudsman is its closed meeting investigator and gives the Ombudsman's phone number and email. We did not look for reports about Erin.