Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 you Read by hand. We read Hilton Beach'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.
A clear, checkable guide to Hilton Beach's budget, taxes and council decisions. A small village on St. Joseph Island in the Algoma District, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
$244,600a year the Asset Management Plan says should go into capital reserves; the capital reserves grew by $12,471 in 2025 (worked out by us)
In June 2025 the Village's auditor told council that its Asset Management Plan (the required long-range plan for repairing and replacing what the Village owns) says it should put $244,600 a year into capital reserves (savings for big replacements). At the end of 2025 the capital reserves held $293,861, up from $281,390 a year earlier. That is a rise of $12,471 (worked out by us). The Village also records $245,127 of amortization (the yearly wearing-out of what it owns) in 2025.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
Qualified opinionthe auditor's report on the 2025 statements, dated June 25, 2026
The auditor gave the 2025 statements a qualified opinion. That means the statements are fair "except for" a stated problem. The problem is asset retirement obligations: a rule that began on January 1, 2023 requires the Village to record what it will owe to safely remove or clean up what it owns. The auditor says the Village has not finished assessing its assets, so the effect cannot be put in numbers. The same gap is described for 2024.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$47,840.78landfill spending above landfill revenue in the 2026 budget summary (worked out by us: $103,900 less $56,059.22)
The Village owns the landfill and pays for capital work there. Council noted in June 2026 that the money coming in from the Township of Hilton covers operating costs, so no revenue is being generated to help with capital or closing costs. New yearly testing of monitoring wells is adding cost. The 2026 budget summary shows $56,059.22 of landfill revenue against $103,900 of landfill spending "including capital work". The 2025 statements show one landfill-related line in the accumulated surplus note: $(1,106).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$121,188.87the 2026 budget's transfer from the NORDS reserve account; the statements show $57,349 of NORDS deferred revenue at the end of 2025
The 2026 budget summary counts $121,188.87 as a "Transfer from NORDS reserve account". That is about 6.5% of the $1,864,590.51 budget (worked out by us). The 2025 budget summary showed "NORDS Grant - final year" of 55500, and council's March 26, 2026 minutes say the Northern Ontario Development Fund "ended in 2025" with a loss of $54,000. The 2025 statements show $57,349 held at the end of 2025 as deferred revenue (grant money not yet spent) for the NORDS program.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$50,000estimated cost of the 2023 and 2024 audits, in council's May 29, 2025 budget notes
Council's May 29, 2025 budget notes include "BDO – audits for 2023 and 2024 - $50,000 (estimate)". The auditor presented the 2024 audit at a public meeting on July 28, 2025. The 2025 statements carry an auditor's report dated June 25, 2026. On the pages we read, the Village posts the 2025 statements and a 2022 draft set, but we did not find the 2023 or 2024 statements.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$6,477.10gap between 2025 budget revenue and expenses in the posted summary (worked out by us)
The 2025 budget summary prints total revenue of 1643078.91 and total expenses of 1636601.81, a gap of $6,477.10 (worked out by us), while the 2025 statements say the budget was set to a surplus of $nil. For 2026, the notice said council intended to adopt the budget on June 10, but the minutes of that meeting record the by-law adopting the 2026 estimates and tax rates as passed "this 21st day of May 2026". There is no separate budget motion in the minutes we read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$251,649.41marina spending in the 2026 budget summary, up from $203,225.44 in 2025
Council noted on May 11, 2026 that damaged marina docks needed immediate repair with no estimate of cost. On June 10, 2026 it decided to buy two floating docks, and the July 8, 2026 minutes say two docks have been ordered. The 2026 budget summary shows marina spending of $251,649.41, up from $203,225.44 in the 2025 summary (a rise of $48,423.97, worked out by us), against marina revenue of $282,780.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
Where your tax bill goes
A property tax bill in Hilton Beach pays for the town and schools. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Hilton Beach council controls.
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