Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Gore Bay's budget, taxes and council decisions. A small town on the north shore of Manitoulin Island, with a mayor and six councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
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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.
+114%running the town office, 2019 to 2025
Gore Bay spent $528K on running the town office in 2019 and $1.1M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 0 of 29 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
+47%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2025
Gore Bay spent $729K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $1.1M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 1 of 29 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
$264,000counted as owing in 2025 for a $1,150,000 construction claim that was settled
The 2024 statements say the Town was a defendant in a legal claim of $1,150,000 for damages related to a construction project. The Town was defending it and had set aside no money. The 2025 statements say the matter was settled after year-end and that $264,000 is now counted as owing. A contingency is a possible cost that depends on something not yet decided. We did not find a public report on the settlement or on which project it was.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$239,667general operations surplus at the end of 2025, down from $831,915
The Town's accumulated surplus is split into a surplus for running the Town, reserves (money set aside) and reserve funds. The 2025 note shows the surplus "General operations - Town" down from $831,915 to $239,667, and the working capital reserve down from $366,228 to $320,259. Reserve funds for specific purposes went up from $797,008 to $1,126,098. Net financial assets, which is what the Town holds in cash and money owed to it minus what it owes, fell from $2,579,201 at the end of 2023 to $1,342,896 and then $1,165,379. The 2026 budget presentation says the Town enters 2026 with a "Stable financial position".
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$3.2 milliona year the Town's plan says it should reinvest, against about $532,000 actually spent
The Town's 2024 Asset Management Plan says the Town should be putting about $3.2 million a year into replacing and renewing its assets, but actual yearly spending is about $532,000. That is a reinvestment rate of 0.5% against a target of 2.7%. The 2026 budget presentation repeats the $3.2 million need and says meeting it would take a tax levy increase of 3.6% a year and water and sewer rate rises of 6.2% a year. It offers a 2% extra levy as an example, which it says would bring the impact on taxpayers to 5.5%. The Town's plan names the gap. The question is how it will be closed. Separately, the plan puts the Town's assets at $123 million to replace and the budget presentation says $145M, and we did not find why they differ.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$1,255,720general government expenses in 2025, against a budget of $898,858
General government is the cost of running council and the town office. The 2025 statements show a budget of $898,858 and actual spending of $1,255,720 (about 40% more, worked out by us). In 2024 the line was $858,377. The notes by type of cost show the "materials, rents and financial expenses" part rising from $190,974 in 2024 to $613,251 in 2025. We did not find the Town's explanation. The statements warn that their budget column is not on the same basis as the actual results, so some of the gap may be accounting.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
8.44%commercial increase in the budget presentation, against 2.74% for homes
The budget presentation says the 2026 increase is 2.74% for homes and 8.44% for commercial properties, and shows an average commercial property of $147,012 paying $2,856.36 in municipal tax in 2026. The tax by-law sets the same municipal rate for residential and commercial properties (ratios of 1.0000 and a rate of 0.0204520). For the median home of $160,000 that rate gives the presentation's $3,272.33 (within a cent). Applied to the commercial average of $147,012 it gives a figure about $150 higher than $2,856.36 (worked out by us). We do not know why, and we did not read the 2025 by-law. The presentation's recommendation slide is headed draft, and we did not find the adopted budget.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$3,541.53printed 2026 household total, where the parts add to $3,517.13 (worked out by us)
On the households slide, the 2026 municipal tax of $3,272.33 plus educational tax of $244.80 makes $3,517.13 (worked out by us), but the slide prints a total of $3,541.53. On the commercial slide, the 2026 parts ($2,856.36 and $1,293.71) add to $4,150.07 and the 2025 parts add to $3,927.65, but the totals are printed the other way round, so the table shows taxes falling while the change column shows a rise. These look like typing slips, and they are in the Town's own public summary.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$2,477,608of one foundation's gifts still deferred at the end of 2025
Revenue under "Other" was budgeted at $2,360,742 and came in at $4,116,011, compared with $960,958 in 2024. The notes show why this is partly timing. Gifts from one foundation are held as deferred revenue (money received but not yet counted as income until it is spent). In 2025 $2,683,508 of it was counted as income, $1,695,000 more was received, and $2,477,608 is still waiting. The budget presentation says the medical centre renovations and the splash pad washrooms are funded by donations. The open point is that a large share of capital depends on gifts that may not repeat.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$541,980federal grants held, unchanged from the end of 2024 to the end of 2025
The Town holds federal grants it has received but not yet counted as income because the work is not done. The 2024 statements show a balance of $541,980 after $115,062 was counted as income that year. In 2025 nothing was received and nothing was counted, and the balance is still $541,980. The statements do not say what the money is for.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$317per home on snow ploughing, 2025
Gore Bay spent about $317 per home on snow ploughing in 2025. The typical similar town spent $142. Only 4 of 29 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
A property tax bill in Gore Bay pays for the town and schools. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Gore Bay council controls.
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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.
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