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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Laurentian Hills'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 · 8 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Laurentian Hills' financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 28 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.
$1,375,424.80from reserves and the 2025 surplus in the 2026 budget, out of $6,233,133.32
The Town's 2026 budget pays for about 22 cents of every dollar of its own spending from money saved in earlier years (reserves, which are savings set aside for later) and from the 2025 surplus. The same budget also puts $967,195.00 into reserves. Worked out by us: the difference ($1,375,424.80 minus $967,195.00) is $408,229.80 taken out, net.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$2.24 millionyearly capital funding gap, in the Town's 2025 Asset Management Plan
The Town's 2025 Asset Management Plan says the Town commits about $666,000 a year to capital projects or reserves and has a yearly funding gap of $2.24 million. It also says the Town already meets the level of service it picked, and recommends no funding increase.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$11.3 millionwater backlog, mostly the treatment plant, in the 2025 Asset Management Plan
The Asset Management Plan says the water network has a backlog of $11.3 million, mostly the water treatment plant, and needs $844 thousand a year to keep up. The 2026 water and sewer budget sets aside $5,000.00 for water reserves and $5,000.00 for sewer reserves. Water and sewer together are budgeted at $830,614.00.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
0audited financial statements found posted on the Town's website
The Town's Reports & Budgets page says its financial reports and earlier budgets are made available on request, by phone. We did not find the audited financial statements posted on the site.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
At the end of 2025, $753K of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 12% of everything billed. Only 7 of 28 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $762K.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Council minutes for 2023 to 2026 are posted as PDFs. The 2025 and 2026 council minutes we opened are pictures of pages, with no text a computer can read or search. That means a resident cannot search them for a name or a dollar amount.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
The 2026 budget gives council's cost as one total of $101,871.00. Ontario's Municipal Act requires each municipality to publish a yearly statement of what each member was paid. We did not find one on the pages we read, so we did not fill the pay table.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
Laurentian Hills spent about $340 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $197. Only 3 of 28 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$1,375,424.80from reserves and the 2025 surplus in the 2026 budget, out of $6,233,133.32
The Town's 2026 budget pays for about 22 cents of every dollar of its own spending from money saved in earlier years (reserves, which are savings set aside for later) and from the 2025 surplus. The same budget also puts $967,195.00 into reserves. Worked out by us: the difference ($1,375,424.80 minus $967,195.00) is $408,229.80 taken out, net.
Why it matters
Savings can only be spent once. If the budget needs savings every year to balance, taxes or other income would have to rise later, or services would shrink.
It could be because…
The reserves were saved on purpose for the projects in this budget, such as the sewer plant project and road repairs.
Part of the surplus is a one-time amount from last year that the Town chose to use for one-time costs.
Moving money into and out of reserves in the same year is normal when projects are paid for from savings.
Questions you could ask
Which reserves is the $1,011,908.80 coming from, and what was each one saved for?
How much of the $363,516.00 surplus was expected, and how much of it will be there again next year?
Why does the budget move $967,195.00 into reserves in the same year it takes savings out?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The revenue detail lists "Transfer from Reserves" $ 1,011,908.80 and "2025 Surplus" $ 363,516.00, for a sub total of $ 1,375,424.80, within "TOTAL MUNICIPAL REVENUES" of $ 6,233,133.32.
$2.24 millionyearly capital funding gap, in the Town's 2025 Asset Management Plan
The Town's 2025 Asset Management Plan says the Town commits about $666,000 a year to capital projects or reserves and has a yearly funding gap of $2.24 million. It also says the Town already meets the level of service it picked, and recommends no funding increase.
Why it matters
An asset plan shows what it costs to keep roads, water and buildings working. A gap that size means repairs get put off, or costs land on later councils and taxpayers.
It could be because…
The plan works from the age of assets because 65% of them have no condition check, and age tends to overstate how bad things are.
The plan says it is a snapshot, and that a backlog does not mean every asset is in disrepair.
The plan warns that closing the gap fast could mean tax and fee increases that residents cannot afford, so the Town may be choosing to close it slowly.
Questions you could ask
What level of service did council choose, and why does the plan say no funding increase is needed with a $2.24 million gap?
What is the plan for the 65% of assets with no condition check?
How much of the $666,000 a year is actually set aside, compared with what the 2026 budget moves into reserves?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
"the Town is committing approximately $666,000 towards capital projects or reserves per year. As a result, there is currently an annual funding gap of $2.24 million."
The plan says the requirement "totals $2.91 million", and under recommendations says "no financial strategy was needed" and "there are no funding increases recommended or required to meet the proposed level of service selected for this asset management plan".
The plan reports "a backlog of $22.1 million, comprised of assets that remain in service beyond their estimated useful life" and adds "It is unlikely that all such assets are in a state of disrepair".
The key statistics page lists "$81.0 m" replacement cost of the asset portfolio, "35%" of assets with assessed condition data and "0.82%" actual investment rate.
$11.3 millionwater backlog, mostly the treatment plant, in the 2025 Asset Management Plan
The Asset Management Plan says the water network has a backlog of $11.3 million, mostly the water treatment plant, and needs $844 thousand a year to keep up. The 2026 water and sewer budget sets aside $5,000.00 for water reserves and $5,000.00 for sewer reserves. Water and sewer together are budgeted at $830,614.00.
Why it matters
Water systems are paid for by the people who use them. A large plant cost with little set aside can later mean a sudden, large rise in water bills or a large loan.
It could be because…
The plan says the figures rest on the age of assets, and aged assets are often still working.
Grant money (the budget lists OCIF funding) may be the plan for a large water project instead of reserves.
The yearly reserve amounts are small because the Town may not plan to replace the plant on the age schedule.
Questions you could ask
What is the plan and timing for the water treatment plant, and what share will users pay?
Does the Town have a current water financial plan and has it been updated since 2020?
How large are the water and sewer reserves today?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
For the water network the plan says capital requirements "total $844 thousand" a year and shows "a backlog $11.3 million, dominated by the water treatment plant".
The same page lists "2025 Surplus" $ 62,846.00, "OCIF Funding" $ 20,000.00 and "Transfer From Reserves" $ 21,000.00 as sources of water and sewer revenue.
0audited financial statements found posted on the Town's website
The Town's Reports & Budgets page says its financial reports and earlier budgets are made available on request, by phone. We did not find the audited financial statements posted on the site.
Why it matters
Audited statements are how a resident checks what the Town owns, owes and spent. With only one budget posted and no statements, a resident cannot compare years without asking.
It could be because…
A small office may not have the staff to post documents.
The Town files its yearly numbers with the province, which publishes them in the Financial Information Return.
Statements may be shared with anyone who asks, and the Town may not have been asked.
Questions you could ask
Will the Town post its audited statements and recent budgets online?
When did council last receive the audited statements in public?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"The Towns Financial Reports will be made available upon request." and "The Budgets for previous years will be made available upon request. Contact the Municipal office at 613-584-3114."
At the end of 2025, $753K of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 12% of everything billed. Only 7 of 28 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $762K.
Why are so many property taxes unpaid?
$0$200K$400K$600K$800K
$753K
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Unpaid property tax at year end
2019
$605K
2020
$613K
2021
$617K
2022
$577K
2023
$693K
2024
$762K
2025
$753K
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Taxes receivable: 2019 $605K, 2020 $613K, 2021 $617K, 2022 $577K, 2023 $693K, 2024 $762K, 2025 $753K. Of the 2025 total, $344K was from earlier years.
Council minutes for 2023 to 2026 are posted as PDFs. The 2025 and 2026 council minutes we opened are pictures of pages, with no text a computer can read or search. That means a resident cannot search them for a name or a dollar amount.
Why it matters
Minutes are the record of what council decided. Pictures of pages are hard to search, and hard to read with a screen reader.
It could be because…
Minutes may be signed on paper and then scanned, which is common in small towns.
A searchable copy may exist that the Town gives to anyone who asks.
Questions you could ask
Will the Town post minutes in a searchable format?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The October 27 council minutes PDF has 8 pages, and each page is a picture with no text layer. We could not read it by machine and did not use it.
The 2026 budget gives council's cost as one total of $101,871.00. Ontario's Municipal Act requires each municipality to publish a yearly statement of what each member was paid. We did not find one on the pages we read, so we did not fill the pay table.
Why it matters
A yearly statement lets residents see what members were paid and reimbursed. The budget shows only a total for all of council.
It could be because…
The statement may be posted somewhere we did not look, or given to anyone who asks.
The budget line is for the council as a group and says nothing about how it is shared.
Questions you could ask
Where is the Town's statement of council pay and expenses for 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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The council lines in the 2026 budget: "Honorarium" $ 88,720.00, "Burden (payroll costs)" $ 4,551.00, "Integrity Commissioner" $ 5,000.00, adding up to $ 101,871.00.
Laurentian Hills spent about $340 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $197. Only 3 of 28 similar towns spent more.
Why it matters
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.
It could be because…
Geography: more roads, more snow, a bigger area or a landfill of its own.
Accounting: some towns record the same cost in a different category.
A one-time cost in this year.
Questions you could ask
What makes this cost higher here than in similar towns?
When were the main contracts in this area last put out to competitive tender?
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 Laurentian Hills?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Garbage, dump and recycling per home: Laurentian Hills $340; typical similar town $197; ranked 4th highest of 29.
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