Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Innisfil's budget, taxes and council decisions. A Town on the western shore of Lake Simcoe in Simcoe County, with a mayor, a deputy mayor and seven ward councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow Innisfil 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.
$31.5Min savings at the end of 2024
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Innisfil had $31.5M saved at the end of 2024, down from $36.2M in 2019. That is 41% of one year's spending. Only 1 of 20 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$96per home on council, 2024
Innisfil spent about $96 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $50. Only 2 of 20 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$5,197,480from reserves and reserve funds in the revised 2026 budget, up from $3,055,000 in 2025
A reserve is money the Town sets aside in good years for later. The 2025-2026 budget planned a 5.5% tax increase for 2026. In December 2025 Council asked staff to bring it back at 4.2%. The January 14, 2026 staff report says the budget now relies on $5,197,480 from reserves and reserve funds, up from $3,055,000 in the 2025 budget. The same report says this is "not sustainable" and that it will push the Property Tax Rate Stabilization (PTRS) Reserve below the 5% minimum the Town's policy sets. The Town has been open about this, and Council chose the lower tax rate. The open question is what happens in 2027.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$269,136general government overspend in 2025 (budget $12,623,361, actual $12,892,497)
The 2025 statement analysis says general government spending was $12,892,497 against a budget of $12,623,361, and says the overspend was "due to contacted services related to external legal services and temporary contractor costs" (wording as printed). The 2025-2026 budget book planned $140,000 for the total spent on external legal costs in each of 2025 and 2026, down from $219,373 in 2021, and it described a cut in those costs as "based on historical trends". The Town's summary does not say how much outside legal work cost in 2025.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$167,395,213cash and investments at the end of 2025, against about $195M of committed capital projects
At the end of 2025 the Town held $167,395,213 in cash and investments: $15.0M in guaranteed investment certificates, $68.3M in bonds and equity funds, and $72.8M in a high-interest savings account (as the Town prints them). The Town says this money mostly reflects unspent capital projects, and that capital commitments of about $195M are expected to be spent in 2026 and 2027, to be funded from current and future reserves and reserve funds. The Town's own indicator puts its discretionary reserves at 140% of taxation, and says the ratio would be approximately 34% if committed money were taken out.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
10.83%rise in the police part of the average 2026 tax bill ($700.61 to $776.51)
On a home assessed at $446,363, the police part of the tax bill goes from $700.61 to $776.51, a rise of $75.90 or 10.83%, while the part for Town services rises 1.31%. The Town's share of the South Simcoe Police Service budget is $16,869,846 in the revised 2026 budget, against $16,462,694 in the budget adopted in January 2025. The 2025-2026 budget book shows the police line growing 10.9% in 2025 and 9.5% in 2026. The Town says it has "very limited influence" over requests from partners such as police, and its Committees page says the Police Services Board approves the police budget before Council does.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$14,564,145worked out by us: the drop in the 2026 capital budget, from $55,333,149 to $40,769,004
The 2025-2026 budget adopted in January 2025 set the 2026 capital budget at $55,333,149. The January 14, 2026 staff report recommends $40,769,004. The report says Council "did not recommend any changes" to the staff-recommended figure, but the part of the process that made the $14,564,145 reduction (worked out by us) is not in the report we read. The December 10, 2025 staff report it refers to (DSR-162-25) is a separate document we did not read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+48%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2024
Innisfil spent $9.3M on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $13.8M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 3 of 20 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
+44%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2024
Innisfil spent $20M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $28.7M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$14.9Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $14.9M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 1 of 20 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $10.6M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$19,954,953less revenue than budgeted in 2025, mostly development charges
The 2025 income statement shows revenue of $133,854,193 against a budget of $153,809,146. Almost all of the gap is one line: development charges (fees that builders pay towards roads, water and parks for new homes). They were budgeted at $44,531,016 and recorded at $15,657,131. The Town explains why: development charge revenue is recognized only when the work is done, and many 2025 projects were carried into 2026 and 2027. Deferred revenue (money received but not yet counted as income) fell from $75,646,381 to $68,409,169 as development slowed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
13.24%of taxes billed were still unpaid at the end of 2025, against 8.7% in the survey average
Taxes receivable (property tax billed and not yet paid) were $15,899,640 at the end of 2025, or 13.24% of the year's taxes billed (13.21% in 2024). In the Town's own table that share was 8.1% in 2021 and 8.6% in 2022. The survey average the Town compares itself with is 8.7%. The Town explains it: it paused its usual collection steps during COVID, restarted them in January 2025, and Council approved a Property Tax Billing and Collection Policy on November 12, 2025.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
MD 16-26the latest Mayoral decision listed, signed June 4, 2026
Innisfil's Mayor has strong mayor powers under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, in effect since October 31, 2023. They include proposing the budget, which Council can amend. The Town publishes every written decision on one page, and the list shows MD 16-26 signed on June 4, 2026. The 2026 budget update began with Mayoral Decision 23-25, which directed the CAO and treasurer to prepare a staff-recommended budget. The Town does a good job of posting these. One small question: the budget page says the Mayor declared the 2026 budget on January 14, 2026, while the decisions list gives January 15, 2026 as the date MD 01-26 was signed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$127per home on snow ploughing, 2024
Innisfil spent about $127 per home on snow ploughing in 2024. The typical similar town spent $52. Only 3 of 20 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
2024 tax year · Innisfil, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Innisfil'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 Innisfil.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
Innisfil 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 Innisfil'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.
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