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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Lake of The Woods'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.
Ontario / Lake of The WoodsUpdated Oct 7, 2026

Your town, in plain words

How Lake of The Woods uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Lake of The Woods' budget, taxes and council decisions. A small township in Rainy River District, northwestern Ontario, made up of the former Morson and McCrosson-Tovell townships, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.

Property tax raised in 2025$923Kall property in Lake of The Woods78% Town22% SchoolsSee where your tax bill goes →
Town spending, 2025$1.4MAbout $1,995 per household, up 5.4% from 2024.See the money →
Property tax change0.0%Lake of The Woods' own property tax came to $740K in 2025, against $740K in 2024.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Roads and snow$270K · 20%
Health$237K · 18%
Police, fire and safety$225K · 17%
Housing$192K · 14%
Show all 9 servicesShow fewer
Water, sewers and garbage$160K · 12%
Running the town office$146K · 11%
Parks, arena and library$51,625 · 4%
Social services$37,633 · 3%
Planning and business$35,634 · 3%

Day-to-day spending in 2025, from Lake of The Woods' report to the Province.

A fair comparisonHow does Lake of The Woods compare?Among 8 similar Ontario towns, Lake of The Woods' day-to-day spending per household is on the low side.Lake of The Woods is here · 1 of 8, lowest to highestCompare Lake of The Woods →

Questions worth asking

A closer look at the numbers.

Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.

All 8 questions
Worth askingMoney health

Do the landfill clean-up numbers in the audited statements add up?

$1,292,932landfill clean-up liability at December 31, 2025, against a landfill closure reserve of $83,817

The Township owes a clean-up cost for its two landfills, which it books as a liability (a bill it will have to pay later). The statements print a liability of $1,292,932, more than twice the $564,500 of total future spending the notes say is expected (worked out by us from the two printed estimates), and the reserve saved for landfill closure is $83,817.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Worth askingMoney health

What is the $2.3 million equipment reserve being saved for?

$2,337,419in the "Replacement of equipment" reserve at December 31, 2025

The reserve called "Replacement of equipment" holds $2,337,419 at the end of 2025, up from $2,139,817 a year earlier. We worked out that this is about 37 per cent more than the total cost of all the Township's equipment and vehicles combined ($1,700,069, worked out by us from the two cost lines).

Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources

Worth askingOpenness

Where is the 2026 budget?

2025the newest budget posted on the Township's budget page on October 7, 2026

The June 2, 2026 minutes say the 2026 budget was presented and a 2026 tax levying by-law was passed. When we read the Township's budget page on October 7, 2026, the newest budget posted was the one for 2025.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources

Worth askingRising costs

Why did the cost of water, sewers and garbage grow 72% in 6 years?

+72%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2025

Lake of The Woods spent $92,624 on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $160K in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.

Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources

Show 4 more questionsShow fewer
Good to knowSpending level

How much of the Township's spending goes to boards it does not run?

$433,882paid to the District of Rainy River Services Board in 2025, up from $406,968

In 2025 the Township paid $451,040 to outside boards, about 27 per cent of its $1,667,014 in expenses (worked out by us). The largest is the District of Rainy River Services Board at $433,882, up from $406,968.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources

Good to knowHow decisions are made

How much could the Township be asked to lend for the locum doctors' housing?

$110,117the Township's share of the housing partnership's accumulated surplus at December 31, 2025 (as printed: 110,117)

The statements say that if grants and donations fall short of the cost of the locum doctors' housing in Rainy River, the three partners agreed to provide the money as repayable loans. No amount is printed.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources

Good to knowOpenness

Where is the yearly statement of council pay?

Ontario municipalities are required to publish each year what each council member was paid and claimed. We did not find that statement on the Township's website. The budget shows only the whole council's pay as one line.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Good to knowHow decisions are made

Why will there be no vote for council this year?

The Township's notice of June 19, 2026 says nominations closed and all candidates have been acclaimed, so there will be no election. The same page also lists acclaimed candidates from 2022.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Where your tax bill goes

A property tax bill in Lake of The Woods pays for the town and schools. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Lake of The Woods council controls.

Tax bill split: Lake of The Woods 78%, Schools 22%
$923Kraised in 2025
  • Lake of The Woods78%
  • Schools22%

  • Every fact, sourced

    Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.

  • No accusations

    We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.

  • Compared fairly

    Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.

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