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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Kirkland Lake'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.
Questions · 9 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Kirkland Lake's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 14 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$13,789,687tax levy in 2025, up from $11,873,777 in 2023
The tax levy is the part of the Town's budget that property taxes must pay for, after grants, fees and savings are counted. The Town's own budget notices give a levy of $11,873,777 for 2023, $12,571,568 for 2024 and $13,789,687 for 2025. Each year's increase in the residential tax rate was bigger than the year before: 3.6%, then 5.85%, then 8.4%. By our own sums (worked out by us) the 2025 levy is $1,915,910 higher than the 2023 levy. The Town has explained the pressure in general terms: wages and contracts, insurance, inflation and the cost of its partners. We did not find a page that breaks the increase into those causes. The 2026 budget is kept on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it, so we have not read it.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$596,793reduction the report states, against $472,993 between its own two levy figures (worked out by us)
Three published numbers do not line up, by our own sums (worked out by us). First, the Town's April 15, 2025 report says Council's changes cut the tax levy by "approximately $596,793", but the two levies it names, $14,262,680 and $13,789,687, are $472,993 apart. Second, the report says the levy increase fell from 10.3% to 6.5%, yet the 2025 levy of $13,789,687 is about 9.7% above the 2024 levy of $12,571,568. Third, the press release gives the net operating budget as $20,533,466, while the report and the budget pages print $20,533,446, a difference of $20. The last looks like a typing slip. The first two may have simple explanations that the Town has not published.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$2.9 millionreserves the 2025 budget uses, after $3.5 million in 2024 and $2.38 million in 2023
A reserve is money the Town has set aside in earlier years for later needs. The Town's budget notices say it used about $2.38 million of reserves in 2023, about $3.5 million in 2024 and about $2.9 million in 2025, to soften the tax rise. In both 2023 and 2025, the Town's report says that projections for the year's reserves "will be presented at a future meeting". We did not find those projections or the reserve balances. The audited statements, which would show them, are on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it, so we could not read them. By our own sums (worked out by us), the two 2025 budget lines that mention reserves add to $2,939,827, close to the "approximately $2.9 million" (one of them also counts debt and deferred revenue).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$2,063,627net cost of the care home in the 2025 budget, up from $1,769,232
Teck Pioneer Residence is the long-term care home the Town runs. The 2025 budget shows its total revenue as $8,598,093, exactly the same as the 2024 figure. Its spending rises from $10,367,325 to $10,661,720. The gap that taxes must cover grows from $1,769,232 to $2,063,627, which is $294,395 more (worked out by us). We did not find a note in the budget explaining why revenue was left unchanged.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$618,137net cost of Development Services in the 2025 budget, against $371,711 in 2024
Development Services covers animal control, building, economic development, planning and residential development. Its net cost to taxpayers in the 2025 budget is $618,137, against $371,711 in the 2024 budget, which is $246,426 more (worked out by us). Two pages explain most of it. Building brings in $242,415 against $360,915 and runs a gap of $236,925 against $91,335. Residential Development brings in $50,000 against $270,000, leaving $47,200 against $269,700. The budget pages carry no notes, so we did not find the town's reason.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
In 2024, Kirkland Lake collected $1.5M more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 12% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 1 of 14 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 4% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 0.6%.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
At the end of 2024, $4.0M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 26% of everything billed. None of the 14 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $2.9M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$365,059Treasury net cost in the 2025 budget, against $195,524 in 2024
The Treasury department handles taxes, billing and the Town's accounts. In the 2025 budget its revenue is $688,000 against $823,000 in 2024, and its spending is $1,053,059 against $1,018,524. Its net cost therefore rises from $195,524 to $365,059, which is $169,535 more (worked out by us). Most of that comes from $135,000 less revenue (worked out by us). We did not find a note saying what that revenue is or why it falls.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
Reprimand recommendedby the Integrity Commissioner in the inquiry that ended January 15, 2021
The Town posts three older Integrity Commissioner reports. One, dated after an investigation from December 30, 2020 to January 15, 2021, found that then-Mayor Pat Kiely, now Councillor Kiely, broke section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct by passing a confidential report to two staff members. Under section 10.5 the report found that the confidential report "was accessed when there was no necessity to access the report"; it states the breach under section 10.1 only. The Integrity Commissioner recommended that Council reprimand him and ask him to apologize to Council and to the staff whose confidentiality was affected. We did not find whether Council adopted the recommendations, because its minutes are on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it. We have not described the subject of the confidential report.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$13,789,687tax levy in 2025, up from $11,873,777 in 2023
The tax levy is the part of the Town's budget that property taxes must pay for, after grants, fees and savings are counted. The Town's own budget notices give a levy of $11,873,777 for 2023, $12,571,568 for 2024 and $13,789,687 for 2025. Each year's increase in the residential tax rate was bigger than the year before: 3.6%, then 5.85%, then 8.4%. By our own sums (worked out by us) the 2025 levy is $1,915,910 higher than the 2023 levy. The Town has explained the pressure in general terms: wages and contracts, insurance, inflation and the cost of its partners. We did not find a page that breaks the increase into those causes. The 2026 budget is kept on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it, so we have not read it.
Why it matters
A tax rate that rises faster every year is a pattern, and the average home pays more each time. Knowing which costs drove each year tells residents whether the rise is outside the Town's control (police, insurance, wages set by contract) or something Council could choose differently.
It could be because…
Costs the Town does not set itself, such as policing and the District's social services, have risen. The Town says its budget supports partners including the Ontario Provincial Police.
Contracted wage increases and higher insurance costs, which the Mayor names for 2024.
A very low base: the Town says property assessments were frozen in 2023, so earlier increases may have been held down.
Large capital projects, such as the Government Road resurfacing, add costs that the Town partly pays from its levy.
Questions you could ask
How much of each year's levy increase came from police, insurance, wages and the District's charges, and how much from the Town's own choices?
What tax increase does the adopted 2026 budget carry, and how does it compare with these three years?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The final 2023 budget has a tax levy of $11,873,777 and "a 3.6% municipal Tax Rate increase".
The 2024 budget has "a Tax Levy of $12,571,568 on an overall net Operating Budget of $19,979,555" and "an increase in the Residential Tax Rate of 5.85% over last year". The Mayor says it responds to challenges such as "contracted wage and service increases, rising cost of insurance, growth pressures".
The Mayor says Kirkland Lake faced "frozen property assessments and inflationary pressures" in the 2023 budget process, and that the budget includes an increase in the Residential Tax Rate of 3.6% over last year.
The 2025 budget has "a Tax Levy of $13,789,687 on an overall net Operating Budget of $20,533,466" and "an increase in the Residential Tax Rate of 8.4% over last year". For the average assessed residential property of $112,000, the monthly increase is "approximately $16 per month".
$596,793reduction the report states, against $472,993 between its own two levy figures (worked out by us)
Three published numbers do not line up, by our own sums (worked out by us). First, the Town's April 15, 2025 report says Council's changes cut the tax levy by "approximately $596,793", but the two levies it names, $14,262,680 and $13,789,687, are $472,993 apart. Second, the report says the levy increase fell from 10.3% to 6.5%, yet the 2025 levy of $13,789,687 is about 9.7% above the 2024 levy of $12,571,568. Third, the press release gives the net operating budget as $20,533,466, while the report and the budget pages print $20,533,446, a difference of $20. The last looks like a typing slip. The first two may have simple explanations that the Town has not published.
Why it matters
A budget is the number residents are asked to trust. When the Town's own summaries give different figures for the same thing, it is hard for a resident to check what was decided. The dollar amounts are small, but the percentages are what most residents see.
It could be because…
The reduction of $596,793 may count savings in spending, while the levy fell by less because Council also used less reserve money (the budget shows the transfer from reserves falling from $1,247,557 to $775,000).
The percentages may be measured on a different base from the dollar levy, for example before new homes and extra assessment are counted.
The $20,533,466 in the press release is most likely a typing slip for $20,533,446.
Questions you could ask
How was the $596,793 reduction worked out, and why is it more than the $472,993 difference between the two levies?
What base is the 6.5% levy increase measured against?
Will the Town correct the net operating budget figure in the press release?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"The amendments resulted in a reduction of approximately $596,793 to the Tax Levy required for the 2025 Budget. The Tax Levy decreased from $14,262,680 from the 2025 Budget as originally presented on March 4, 2025, to $13,789,687." The report also says Council's direction cut the proposed levy increase "from 10.3% to 6.5%" and that the operating portion of the budget "amounts to $20,533,446".
The 2024 budget column shows the tax levy as "Taxation" of 12,571,568 and the 2025 column as 13,789,687. The "Total Town Operating Deficit" is -20,533,446 for 2025 and -19,979,555 for 2024.
$2.9 millionreserves the 2025 budget uses, after $3.5 million in 2024 and $2.38 million in 2023
A reserve is money the Town has set aside in earlier years for later needs. The Town's budget notices say it used about $2.38 million of reserves in 2023, about $3.5 million in 2024 and about $2.9 million in 2025, to soften the tax rise. In both 2023 and 2025, the Town's report says that projections for the year's reserves "will be presented at a future meeting". We did not find those projections or the reserve balances. The audited statements, which would show them, are on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it, so we could not read them. By our own sums (worked out by us), the two 2025 budget lines that mention reserves add to $2,939,827, close to the "approximately $2.9 million" (one of them also counts debt and deferred revenue).
Why it matters
Using reserves lowers taxes now but leaves less for emergencies, repairs and future years. If the same amount is used every year, the tax rate has to rise later to make up for it. Residents cannot judge that without knowing the balance.
It could be because…
Reserves exist to smooth tax rises, and using them in a year of high inflation is what they are for.
Some of the reserve money may be for capital projects already planned, such as the water main work, rather than for operating costs.
The Town may have presented the reserve projections at a meeting we could not read, because its minutes are on the blocked document site.
Questions you could ask
What were the balances of the Town's main reserves at December 31, 2024 and 2025?
Were the 2023 and 2025 reserve projections ever presented to Council, and when?
How many more years can the Town draw $2 million to $3.5 million a year before the reserves run low?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The 2023 final budget "includes the use of Reserves and Reserve Funds in the sum of approximately $2.38 million dollars". The report adds: "Projections for the Town of Kirkland Lake's 2023 Reserves will be presented at a future Meeting of Council."
"Included in the 2024 Budget is the use of approximately $3.5 million dollars in reserves to help reduce the impact of taxes on the residents and businesses"
The 2025 final budget "includes the use of Reserves and Reserve Funds in the sum of approximately $2.9 million dollars". The report adds: "Projections for the Town of Kirkland Lake's 2025 Reserves will be presented at a future meeting."
The budget lists "Transfers from reserves, debt and deferred revenue" of 2,164,827 for 2025 (3,170,624 for 2024) and "Transfer from Working Capital and Tax Stabilization Reserves" of 775,000 for 2025 (1,247,557 for 2024).
$2,063,627net cost of the care home in the 2025 budget, up from $1,769,232
Teck Pioneer Residence is the long-term care home the Town runs. The 2025 budget shows its total revenue as $8,598,093, exactly the same as the 2024 figure. Its spending rises from $10,367,325 to $10,661,720. The gap that taxes must cover grows from $1,769,232 to $2,063,627, which is $294,395 more (worked out by us). We did not find a note in the budget explaining why revenue was left unchanged.
Why it matters
The home is one of the Town's largest net costs, and residents' taxes pay whatever its funding does not. A revenue figure that does not move at all may mean the budget was set before the year's funding was known. If funding turns out higher, the cost to taxpayers is lower than shown.
It could be because…
Most of a care home's money comes from the Province and from resident fees, set by rules the Town does not control. The Town may not have known the new amounts when it built the budget.
The Town may have carried last year's revenue forward as a cautious estimate.
Wage and supply costs for a care home commonly rise each year.
Questions you could ask
What provincial funding and resident fees does the 2025 budget assume for the home, and why is the revenue total identical to 2024?
What did the home actually cost taxpayers in 2024 and 2025?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Teck Pioneer Residence: "Total Revenues" 8,598,093 for 2025 and 8,598,093 for 2024. "Total Expenditures" 10,661,720 for 2025 and 10,367,325 for 2024. "Total Teck Pioneer Residence" 2,063,627 for 2025 and 1,769,232 for 2024.
$618,137net cost of Development Services in the 2025 budget, against $371,711 in 2024
Development Services covers animal control, building, economic development, planning and residential development. Its net cost to taxpayers in the 2025 budget is $618,137, against $371,711 in the 2024 budget, which is $246,426 more (worked out by us). Two pages explain most of it. Building brings in $242,415 against $360,915 and runs a gap of $236,925 against $91,335. Residential Development brings in $50,000 against $270,000, leaving $47,200 against $269,700. The budget pages carry no notes, so we did not find the town's reason.
Why it matters
A swing this size in one group of services is a sign that either money the Town counted on last year is not expected this year, or fees no longer cover the work. Residents' taxes cover the difference.
It could be because…
Building fees depend on how many permits are expected, and a slower year can be a cautious estimate.
The Residential Development revenue may be from land sales or one-time projects, which are not expected to repeat at the same size.
The Town may have moved costs between departments from 2024 to 2025.
Questions you could ask
Why does the 2025 budget expect $118,500 less from Building?
What was the $270,000 of Residential Development revenue in the 2024 budget, and why is only $50,000 expected in 2025?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Building: "Total Revenues" 242,415 for 2025 and 360,915 for 2024; "Total Expenditures" 479,340 and 452,250; "Surplus (Deficit)" (236,925) and (91,335).
Residential Development: "Total Revenues" 50,000 for 2025 and 270,000 for 2024; "Total Expenditures" 2,800 and 300; "Surplus (Deficit)" 47,200 and 269,700. "Total Development Services" 618,137 for 2025 and 371,711 for 2024.
In 2024, Kirkland Lake collected $1.5M more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 12% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 1 of 14 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 4% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 0.6%.
Why did Kirkland Lake's property tax go up 12% in 2024?
$0$5.0M$10M$15M
$13.8M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Town property tax
2019
$11M
2020
$13M
2021
$11M
2022
$13.9M
2023
$12.3M
2024
$13.8M
Why it matters
A big one-year jump usually means something changed: a new cost, a service that grew, savings being rebuilt, or a problem from earlier years being paid for now. Residents should be able to see exactly which. Spread across every home, it is about $393 more each year.
It could be because…
Costs the town cannot control went up, such as policing, insurance or county charges.
The town kept taxes too low in earlier years and is catching up.
The town is rebuilding savings or paying for a big project like a bridge or equipment.
Questions you could ask
What were the three biggest reasons for the 2024 increase, in dollars?
Is a similar increase planned for next year?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Town property tax: $12,341,028 in 2023, $13,820,877 in 2024.
At the end of 2024, $4.0M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 26% of everything billed. None of the 14 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $2.9M.
Why are so many property taxes unpaid?
$0$1.0M$2.0M$3.0M$4.0M
$4.0M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Unpaid property tax at year end
2019
$1.8M
2020
$2.3M
2021
$1.9M
2022
$2.1M
2023
$2.9M
2024
$4.0M
Why it matters
When taxes go unpaid, everyone else carries the cost, and the town may borrow to cover the gap. The Province's financial indicators treat 10% to 15% as a moderate risk and more than 15% as a high risk. Collection is the town's job, so a rising number is worth asking about.
It could be because…
The final tax bill was due late in the year, so some payments simply arrived in January.
A few large properties are in dispute or being sold for back taxes.
Hard times for residents, which the town may be handling with payment plans.
Questions you could ask
How much is more than one year overdue, and from how many properties?
Are the rules for chasing unpaid taxes applied the same way to everyone?
Has the town registered tax arrears certificates on properties about two years behind? If still unpaid a year after that, Ontario law lets the town sell the property.
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Taxes receivable: 2019 $1.8M, 2020 $2.3M, 2021 $1.9M, 2022 $2.1M, 2023 $2.9M, 2024 $4.0M. Of the 2024 total, $1.4M was from earlier years.
$365,059Treasury net cost in the 2025 budget, against $195,524 in 2024
The Treasury department handles taxes, billing and the Town's accounts. In the 2025 budget its revenue is $688,000 against $823,000 in 2024, and its spending is $1,053,059 against $1,018,524. Its net cost therefore rises from $195,524 to $365,059, which is $169,535 more (worked out by us). Most of that comes from $135,000 less revenue (worked out by us). We did not find a note saying what that revenue is or why it falls.
Why it matters
Revenue that taxpayers expected to receive but no longer do means the levy has to make up the difference. It is a small part of the levy.
It could be because…
Treasury revenue often includes interest on savings and penalties on late taxes. Lower expected interest, after the Town drew down its reserves, would reduce it.
A one-time item in the 2024 budget may not repeat.
Questions you could ask
What revenue sits in the Treasury department's budget, and why is $135,000 less expected in 2025?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Treasury: "Total Revenues" 688,000 for 2025 and 823,000 for 2024; "Total Expenditures" 1,053,059 and 1,018,524; "Surplus (Deficit)" (365,059) and (195,524).
Reprimand recommendedby the Integrity Commissioner in the inquiry that ended January 15, 2021
The Town posts three older Integrity Commissioner reports. One, dated after an investigation from December 30, 2020 to January 15, 2021, found that then-Mayor Pat Kiely, now Councillor Kiely, broke section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct by passing a confidential report to two staff members. Under section 10.5 the report found that the confidential report "was accessed when there was no necessity to access the report"; it states the breach under section 10.1 only. The Integrity Commissioner recommended that Council reprimand him and ask him to apologize to Council and to the staff whose confidentiality was affected. We did not find whether Council adopted the recommendations, because its minutes are on the Town's document site, which tells automated readers not to download from it. We have not described the subject of the confidential report.
Why it matters
Integrity Commissioner reports show whether the Town's own rules about confidential information are followed and what happens when they are not. This is an official finding, so we report it as context.
It could be because…
Councillor Kiely said the report reached staff by mistake. The Integrity Commissioner did not accept that explanation.
Council may have dealt with the recommendations at a meeting we could not read.
Questions you could ask
Did Council adopt the Integrity Commissioner's recommendations, and what did it do?
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 Kirkland Lake?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Integrity Commissioner Inquiry No. 2020-12-01: the Respondent was "Mayor Pat Kiely". The findings say he "released a confidential report to staff without the authorization of Council, contrary to section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct", and that he had no need to see the report under section 10.5. The recommendation is that Council "impose a reprimand on the Respondent".
The report sets out "Section 10.1" and "Section 10.5" of the Code. It finds the Mayor "released a confidential report to staff without the authorization of Council, contrary to section 10.1 of the Code of Conduct", and under Section 10.5: "I find that the report was accessed when there was no necessity to access the report".
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