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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Gillies'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
Gillies 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
- ReeveWendy Wrightw.wright@
gilliestownship.com - CouncillorRudy Buitenhuisr.buitenhuis@
gilliestownship.com - CouncillorWilliam (Bill) Groenheideb.groenheide@
gilliestownship.com - CouncillorElizabeth Jonese.jones@
gilliestownship.com - CouncillorDaniel Vanlenthed.vanlenthe@
gilliestownship.com
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 Gillies?
What a resident can find online without asking, as of October 7, 2026.
- YesBudgets posted online
Budgets for 2022 to 2025 are posted as PDFs on one page. The 2025 budget file prints its tables scrambled, so a reader cannot match a line to its numbers. Source
- YesAudited financial statements
Statements for 2019 to 2024 are posted. The 2024 statements carry a qualified opinion from MNP LLP dated December 29, 2025. Source
- PartlyCouncil pay and expenses (s. 284)
The page lists yearly reports for 2020 to 2023. We did not find a report for 2024 or 2025 on the page. The reports we opened are scanned images, so we did not read any figures from them. Source
- PartlyMeeting agendas and minutes
Agendas and minutes are in a meeting calendar on a separate site that blocked our request. The Township's own page says a backlog affects the posting of minutes and by-laws. Source
- PartlyFreedom of information requests
The Township says that, with limited capacity, it may not answer requests within the legislated time. Source
Where the town speaks for itself
Gillies' official channels, as linked from its own website. Council members may also post on their own pages; we link only to official municipal channels.
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
Records about the 2024 write-down of tangible capital assets
The statements show a write-down of $61,040 but do not say which asset was written off. Related question: What was the $61,040 written off in 2024, and why does the statement of operations not say?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the report or schedule that explains the $61,040 write-down of tangible capital assets recorded in the 2024 financial statements, including the asset or project involved and any council report or resolution about it.
Plan for the asset retirement obligation assessment
Both audit reports are qualified because the assessment is not finished. Related question: Why have the Township's audited statements carried a qualified opinion two years in a row?.
Show the request wordingHide the wording
Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request any workplan, timeline, proposal or council report about the Township's assessment of asset retirement obligations under PS 3280, and any management letter from the auditor on the subject for 2023 and 2024.
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 Township says it has appointed an Integrity Commissioner under a 2023 by-law and publishes the complaint forms and its Code of Conduct (By-law 2019-007). We did not find any Integrity Commissioner reports on the pages we read.