Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Highlands East's budget, taxes and council decisions. A municipality of about 3,800 people in Eastern Ontario. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow Highlands East 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.
Ontario municipalities must have their yearly accounts audited. Highlands East's budget page says its statements are 'available upon request'. We did not find them posted on its website, so a resident cannot check how the year actually turned out without asking.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
The budget page shows summaries headed 2025. The tax rates page shows rates for 2026. We did not find a 2026 budget summary or any detailed budget online.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
0.00621746the 2026 municipal residential tax rate, up from 0.00593766 in 2025
The town's residential rate went from 0.00593766 in 2025 to 0.00621746 in 2026, about 4.7% higher (worked out by us). The county's part rose from 0.00268732 to 0.00285878, about 6.4% higher (worked out by us). A rate rise does not by itself mean a bill rise, because property values used for tax can change too.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$1.8Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $1.8M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 14% of everything billed. Only 4 of 50 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.2M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$3,480,682net tax money budgeted for roads in 2025, out of $8,021,409 in total
The 2025 budget summary sets the net tax money needed for roads at $3,480,682 out of $8,021,409 for the whole town, about 43% (worked out by us). 'Net' means the cost left after fees and grants. This is a plan, not what was spent.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$208,417budgeted for council expenses in 2025, as one line
The 2025 general government summary shows 'Total Council Expenses' of $208,417 as one line. It does not say what is in it, such as pay, benefits, training and travel, or how many members it covers.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
2024 tax year · Highlands East, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Highlands East'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 Highlands East.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
Highlands East 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 Highlands East'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.
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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.
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. Your town office can tell you how to reach them. · Council Books is free and paid for by readers: support this work.