Questions · 8 so far
We read Johnson's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 28 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
+120%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2025
Johnson spent $270K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $594K in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 1 of 28 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
2016the newest audited statements listed on the Township's reports page
Council was shown the 2024 audited statements on July 22, 2025 and approved the 2025 statements on May 20, 2026. The Township's reports page lists audited statements only up to 2016.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
1.5%the 2026 tax increase council recommended, with no budget document posted
The 2026 budget is described in the minutes of a May 13, 2026 special meeting, but we did not find a budget document. The summary names $48,700 more from a provincial grant and a 1.5% tax increase.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$4,530,488.93the 2025 budgeted spending total, about 11.3% above 2024's $4,071,082.27 (worked out by us)
The budget table shown on April 23, 2025 totals $4,530,488.93 for 2025 spending, against $4,071,082.27 budgeted for 2024. Council said the tax rate rise was 2.86%.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$333,900a year, the average gap between what the asset plan says is needed and what is available
The Township's asset plan, dated August 30, 2023, says it needs about $1,113,700 a year for its assets and has about $779,800 a year to spend, a gap of $333,900 a year. The auditor told council on July 22, 2025 that asset management is of concern.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
May 20, 2026when the 2026 budget and tax rates were adopted
The 2025 budget was adopted on May 21, 2025 and the 2026 budget on May 20, 2026. In 2024 an April 17 agenda approved a roads plan "prior to budget adoption", and in 2023 a draft budget was on a June 7 agenda.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$4,135,218.85both the 2024 actual revenue and the 2024 actual spending totals
In the table shown on April 23, 2025, the 2024 Actual Revenue total and the 2024 Actual Expenses total are both $4,135,218.85.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$393per home on garbage, dump and recycling, 2025
Johnson spent about $393 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $269. Only 4 of 28 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
+120%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2025
Johnson spent $270K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $594K in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 1 of 28 similar towns had faster growth here.
| Year | Parks, arena and library | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | −31% | +1% |
| 2021 | −23% | +4% |
| 2022 | +53% | +11% |
| 2023 | +65% | +16% |
| 2024 | +92% | +18% |
| 2025 | +120% | +21% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Parks, arena and library: 2019 $270K, 2020 $186K, 2021 $209K, 2022 $412K, 2023 $445K, 2024 $518K, 2025 $594K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Programs, from $80,744 to $356K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Typical growth among similar towns: 45%. Johnson ranks 2nd of 29.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2025, 28 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 · archived copy
2016the newest audited statements listed on the Township's reports page
Council was shown the 2024 audited statements on July 22, 2025 and approved the 2025 statements on May 20, 2026. The Township's reports page lists audited statements only up to 2016.
Audited statements are the independent check on what a township owns, owes and spent. A resident cannot read them if they are not posted, and council's own minutes show they exist.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Under "Financial Statements" the reports page lists files labelled "2016-Financial-Statements", "2015-Financial-Statements", "2014 Financial Statements", "2013-Financial-Statements" and "2012-Financial-Statements". The 2016 link opens the 2016 audited statements. We found no later statements on the page.
Township of Johnson, Document Downloads page (read October 10, 2026) · list of documents, 2014 to 2016 financial statements
The minutes of July 22, 2025 say the auditor "reviewed the 2024 Audit Statements with Council" and record resolution 2025-102 to accept the 2024 Financial Statements (draft).
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, July 22, 2025 · page 1, delegation and resolution 2025-102
The minutes of May 20, 2026 say the auditor was present "to present the 2025 Audited Financial Statements. No areas of concerns were identified." Resolution 2026-080 receives and approves them.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 20, 2026 · page 1, resolution 2026-080
1.5%the 2026 tax increase council recommended, with no budget document posted
The 2026 budget is described in the minutes of a May 13, 2026 special meeting, but we did not find a budget document. The summary names $48,700 more from a provincial grant and a 1.5% tax increase.
A tax increase of 1.5% (2.1% for homes on town water and sewer) is easier to judge next to the budget lines behind it.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The May 13, 2026 minutes list the line increases: new development taxation of about $31,400.00, the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund up $48,700, computer support about $6,000, professional fees up $15,000.00, fire training up $12,000.00, policing up $17,674.00, building services up $4,000.00, Algoma Public Health $3,149.00 and social services $19,686.00. The recommended tax increase is 1.5%.
Minutes of the Special Meeting, May 13, 2026 · page 1, 2026 budget summary
The same minutes say the water and sewer rate increase for 2026 will be "3 %" and the blended increase for householders who use the town services is 2.1%.
Minutes of the Special Meeting, May 13, 2026 · page 1, water and sewer paragraph
Resolution 2026-086 adopts By-Law 2026-1173, "being a by-law to provide for the adoption of the budgeted estimates, tax rates and to further provide for penalty and interest in default of payment thereof for the year 2026."
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 20, 2026 · page 2, resolution 2026-086
$4,530,488.93the 2025 budgeted spending total, about 11.3% above 2024's $4,071,082.27 (worked out by us)
The budget table shown on April 23, 2025 totals $4,530,488.93 for 2025 spending, against $4,071,082.27 budgeted for 2024. Council said the tax rate rise was 2.86%.
The tax rate pays for only part of a township's budget. Grants, water and sewer fees and savings fund the rest. A bigger total with a smaller tax rise can be fine, but residents cannot tell which lines grew, because the posted table has no row names.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The budget table's 2025 total row reads $4,530,488.93 under Budget Revenue and $4,530,488.93 under Budget Expenses. The eight Budget Expenses rows above it add up to that total.
Special Budget Meeting agenda, April 23, 2025 · PDF page 3, Johnson Township Budget - 2025, total row (image of a table; page 2 is blank and the row names are missing)
The same table's 2024 side reads $4,071,082.27 under Budget Expenses in its total row. The eight rows above it add up to that total.
Special Budget Meeting agenda, April 23, 2025 · PDF page 3, Budget - 2024, Budget Expenses column total row (image)
Council's minutes say "The proposed budget represents a 2.86% tax rate increase over last year." They name insurance up 11% ($15,362.00), Algoma District social services up 6% ($22,164.00), public health up 9% ($2,890.00) and policing up $6,757.00, and a 5% water and sewer increase.
Minutes of the Special Budget Meeting, April 23, 2025 · page 1, budget summary
On May 21, 2025 council adopted the budget "representing a 2.86% tax rate increase" by by-law 2025-1141. We did not find the adopted budget table, so the April 23 table may differ from the adopted one.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 21, 2025 · pages 2 to 3, budget paragraph and resolution 2025-071
$333,900a year, the average gap between what the asset plan says is needed and what is available
The Township's asset plan, dated August 30, 2023, says it needs about $1,113,700 a year for its assets and has about $779,800 a year to spend, a gap of $333,900 a year. The auditor told council on July 22, 2025 that asset management is of concern.
Roads, buildings and water pipes wear out. If a township sets aside less than they cost to replace, the gap shows up later as repairs, borrowing or bigger tax rises.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"The Township receives approximately $779,800 in annual funding. With an average annual spending requirement of $1,113,700, the township has a projected average annual deficit of $333,900 per year. This equates to a total deficit of $3,339,000 after a 10-year period."
Township of Johnson Asset Management Plan, August 30, 2023 · PDF page 58, Annual Funding Available
"The accumulated total funding gap over the next 10 years is $3.3 million." The plan says a "1.67% annual increase in taxation revenue is required to eliminate this funding gap." It puts total replacement costs of the asset portfolio at $64.6 million.
Township of Johnson Asset Management Plan, August 30, 2023 · PDF page 60, Conclusion: Average Annual Tax Change; PDF page 19, Total Replacement Costs
The auditor told council that "asset management is of concern and maintaining and improving existing assets is an ongoing challenge", and also that "the municipality is in a healthy financial position".
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, July 22, 2025 · page 1, delegation on the 2024 financial statements
Council's recommended tax increase for 2026 was 1.5%.
Minutes of the Special Meeting, May 13, 2026 · page 1, 2026 budget summary
May 20, 2026when the 2026 budget and tax rates were adopted
The 2025 budget was adopted on May 21, 2025 and the 2026 budget on May 20, 2026. In 2024 an April 17 agenda approved a roads plan "prior to budget adoption", and in 2023 a draft budget was on a June 7 agenda.
Until a budget is adopted, a township spends under its earlier plan and bills interim taxes. Residents see the year's plan after part of the year is gone.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Resolution 2025-071: council "adopts By-Law No. 2025-1141, being a by-law to adopt the budgeted estimates, tax rates" for the year 2025.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 21, 2025 · page 3, resolution 2025-071
Resolution 2026-086 adopts By-Law 2026-1173, the by-law for the budgeted estimates and tax rates for the year 2026.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting, May 20, 2026 · page 2, resolution 2026-086
The April 17, 2024 agenda lists "Resolution to approve the Public Works plan for 2024 as presented prior to budget adoption". This agenda is a scanned image; we read it by eye.
Regular Council Meeting Agenda, April 17, 2024 · PDF page 1, new business item 5 (image)
$4,135,218.85both the 2024 actual revenue and the 2024 actual spending totals
In the table shown on April 23, 2025, the 2024 Actual Revenue total and the 2024 Actual Expenses total are both $4,135,218.85.
Real revenue and real spending rarely come out exactly equal. An equal total usually means one row is a balancing line, such as a transfer to or from savings. The table does not say which.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The 2024 Actual Revenue column ends in a total of $4,135,218.85 and the Actual Expenses column ends in a total of $4,135,218.85. The eight rows in each column add up to those totals.
Special Budget Meeting agenda, April 23, 2025 · PDF page 3, Budget - 2024, Actual Revenue and Actual Expenses total rows (image)
$393per home on garbage, dump and recycling, 2025
Johnson spent about $393 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $269. Only 4 of 28 similar towns spent more.
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Johnson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Garbage, dump and recycling per home: Johnson $393; typical similar town $269; ranked 5th highest of 29.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2025, 28 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy