Questions · 9 so far
We read Markstay-Warren's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 27 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
$365per home on council, 2022
Markstay-Warren spent about $365 per home on council in 2022. The typical similar town spent $78. Only 1 of 27 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
3 yearsof financial statements (2023, 2024, 2025) presented on May 14, 2026
An audit is an outside accountant's check of a town's yearly books. The Municipality's own notice says its auditor, KPMG, presented the 2023, 2024 and 2025 draft financial statements together at a Special Council Meeting on May 14, 2026. The budget presentation says audit fees rose in 2026 "for the completion of the 2024 and 2025 Audit". The Municipality also asked for bids for a new external auditor on March 25, 2026. The provincial return data on this site for Markstay-Warren stops at 2022. We did not find the audited statements on the Municipality's website.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
11.56%of the 2026 budget goes to shared local boards, which the town says it cannot control
Local boards are shared services that other bodies run and the town pays for through the tax levy: policing, public health, ambulance and planning. The Municipality says local boards are 11.56% of the 2026 budget. Its budget presentation says that public health funding "was unintentionally omitted in 2025" and that this "recurring annual expense will now be included". A new Sudbury East OPP Detachment Board line of $8,000 is also added, and the policing line falls from $479,955 to $455,030.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$3,040,000yearly funding gap in the 2024 asset management plan, against a $97,935 reserve contribution in the 2026 budget
An asset management plan sets out what it costs to keep roads, bridges, water pipes and buildings in good repair. The Municipality's 2024 plan says the average yearly cost to renew its assets is $3,667,000. It says the Municipality puts aside about $503,000 a year, leaving a gap of $3,040,000 a year. The plan's own figures do not add up: $3,667,000 less $503,000 is $3,164,000, not $3,040,000. The plan recommends yearly tax increases of 2.5% for tax-funded assets, over 15 years, to close the gap. The 2026 budget has a 5% tax increase: 3% for operating and capital needs and 2% for asset management. The 2% goes to a reserve contribution of $97,935. Worked out by us, that is about 3% of the yearly gap.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+81%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2022
Markstay-Warren spent $588K on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $1.1M in 2022. Prices only went up about 11% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
$131,038rise in budgeted general government expenses, 2025 to 2026
General government is the budget for council, elections and the money set aside for later. Its expenses go from $209,298 in the 2025 budget to $340,336 in the 2026 budget, a rise of $131,038. The Municipality lists the causes: a new eSCRIBE subscription for agendas, minutes and livestreams, higher legal fees, a $97,935 contribution to an asset management reserve (2% of the tax levy) and $62,500 for a 2026 strategic plan paid 90% by FedNor, a federal agency. It also says election costs fall sharply. The Municipality does not print the 2025 amount for legal fees, the line that rose, in the pages we could read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$206.5 million vs $128,152,000replacement value on the asset page (core assets, 2022) and in the 2024 plan (all assets)
The Municipality's asset management web page says its core assets (roads, bridges, water and sewer) have a total estimated replacement value of $206.5 million as of 2022. The 2024 asset management plan says the replacement cost of every asset category it covers, core and non-core together, is $128,152,000. A narrower list is worth more on one page than a wider list on the other.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$6,400.08reported commissioner costs for 2025 ($2,076.50 for advice plus $4,323.58 for complaints, worked out by us)
An integrity commissioner is an independent person who looks into complaints that a member of council broke the code of conduct. The 2025 annual report from the Municipality's commissioner says there were three complaints. Two led to reports to Council and the third was dismissed. It also reports five requests for advice, and costs of $2,076.50 for advice and $4,323.58 for complaints. We did not find the two reports to Council on the Integrity Commissioner page, which links only the annual report.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$498per home on snow ploughing, 2022
Markstay-Warren spent about $498 per home on snow ploughing in 2022. The typical similar town spent $137. None of the 27 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$365per home on council, 2022
Markstay-Warren spent about $365 per home on council in 2022. The typical similar town spent $78. Only 1 of 27 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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Council per home: Markstay-Warren $365; typical similar town $78; ranked 2nd highest of 28.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2022, 27 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy
3 yearsof financial statements (2023, 2024, 2025) presented on May 14, 2026
An audit is an outside accountant's check of a town's yearly books. The Municipality's own notice says its auditor, KPMG, presented the 2023, 2024 and 2025 draft financial statements together at a Special Council Meeting on May 14, 2026. The budget presentation says audit fees rose in 2026 "for the completion of the 2024 and 2025 Audit". The Municipality also asked for bids for a new external auditor on March 25, 2026. The provincial return data on this site for Markstay-Warren stops at 2022. We did not find the audited statements on the Municipality's website.
Audited statements are the one document that shows whether a town's books are in order. When three years arrive at once, residents cannot see how the town stood during the years in between. Residents also cannot check the $159,000 surplus the Municipality reports for 2025 against the statements.
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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Audited financial statements for 2023, 2024 and 2025 and the auditor's reports, with wording you can copy.
Notice: "KPMG will be presenting the 2023, 2024, and 2025 DRAFT Financial Statements." The meeting was Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Markstay-Warren Community Centre. Questions were due Thursday, May 21, 2026, with answers promised at the Regular Council Meeting on June 1, 2026.
Special Council Meeting (news post, May 12, 2026) · body of the post
"KPMG presented the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Audit at a Special Council Meeting on May 14th." The post also says the municipality "ended 2025 with a $159,000 surplus".
2026 Budget Highlights (news post, June 2, 2026) · section "2025 Year-End Results"
Corporate Management: "Increase in Audit fees for the completion of the 2024 and 2025 Audit by KMPG." and "Audit Request for Proposal (RFP) was posted in April and will be brought to council for review."
2026 Budget Presentation, June 1, 2026 · slide 5 (PDF page 5), Corporate Management
The audit proposal call TMW-2026-07 is dated March 25, 2026. It lists bids opened 2026-04-16, bids due 2026-04-29 (extended per Addendum 1) and bids presented to Council 2026-05-19. This differs from the budget presentation, which says the call was posted in April.
Request for Proposal, External Audit Services, TMW-2026-07 · dates table at the top of the post
11.56%of the 2026 budget goes to shared local boards, which the town says it cannot control
Local boards are shared services that other bodies run and the town pays for through the tax levy: policing, public health, ambulance and planning. The Municipality says local boards are 11.56% of the 2026 budget. Its budget presentation says that public health funding "was unintentionally omitted in 2025" and that this "recurring annual expense will now be included". A new Sudbury East OPP Detachment Board line of $8,000 is also added, and the policing line falls from $479,955 to $455,030.
If a yearly bill is missing from a budget, either the tax rate was set too low or the money came out of somewhere else during the year, such as reserves or other lines. The town's 2025 results should show 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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: How the 2025 public health payment was funded, with wording you can copy.
Local Boards, 2026 Budget: "Public Health funding was unintentionally omitted in 2025; this recurring annual expense will now be included." and "Shared service costs from local boards are outside municipal control and make up 11.56% of the levy." Rows printed on one line: "Policing General $479,955 $455,030 -$24,925" and "Sudbury East OPP Detachment Board $0 $8,000 $8,000" (2025 budget, 2026 proposed, change).
2026 Budget Presentation, June 1, 2026 · slide 6 (PDF page 6), Local Boards
"In 2026, local boards represent 11.56% of the overall municipal budget". Shared services named: Police, Manitoulin Sudbury District Board, Public Health Sudbury District, and Sudbury East Planning Board.
2026 Budget Highlights (news post, June 2, 2026) · section "Budget Highlights", Local Boards
$3,040,000yearly funding gap in the 2024 asset management plan, against a $97,935 reserve contribution in the 2026 budget
An asset management plan sets out what it costs to keep roads, bridges, water pipes and buildings in good repair. The Municipality's 2024 plan says the average yearly cost to renew its assets is $3,667,000. It says the Municipality puts aside about $503,000 a year, leaving a gap of $3,040,000 a year. The plan's own figures do not add up: $3,667,000 less $503,000 is $3,164,000, not $3,040,000. The plan recommends yearly tax increases of 2.5% for tax-funded assets, over 15 years, to close the gap. The 2026 budget has a 5% tax increase: 3% for operating and capital needs and 2% for asset management. The 2% goes to a reserve contribution of $97,935. Worked out by us, that is about 3% of the yearly gap.
Repairs put off get more expensive. A gap about thirty times the yearly reserve contribution (worked out by us) means the town will rely on grants, debt or higher future taxes unless the gap is closed in steps. Residents deciding how to vote can ask candidates how they would close 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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"the Municipality's average annual capital requirement totals $3,667,000. Based on a historical analysis of sustainable capital funding sources, the Municipality is committing approximately $503,000 towards capital projects or reserves per year. As a result, there is currently an annual funding gap of $3,040,000." The plan also gives "$128,152,000" as the overall replacement cost of the assets it covers.
Asset Management Plan 2024 (September 2025) · section 1.3 Findings, PDF page 6 (printed page 2)
Recommendations: the average annual tax change needed for tax-funded assets, on a 15-year plan, is "2.5%".
Asset Management Plan 2024 (September 2025) · section 1.4 Recommendations, Figure 2, PDF page 7
"$97,935 contribution to the Asset Management Reserve (2% of tax levy)."
2026 Budget Presentation, June 1, 2026 · slide 4 (PDF page 4), General Government
"The 2026 municipal budget includes a 5% tax increase, made up of: 3% for operating and capital needs, 2% dedicated to long-term asset management."
2026 Budget Highlights (news post, June 2, 2026) · section "2026 Budget Overview"
+81%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2022
Markstay-Warren spent $588K on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $1.1M in 2022. Prices only went up about 11% in that time.
| Year | Water, sewers and garbage | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +21% | +1% |
| 2021 | +9% | +4% |
| 2022 | +81% | +11% |
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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Water, sewers and garbage: 2019 $588K, 2020 $711K, 2021 $644K, 2022 $1.1M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2022 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: The dump (landfill), from $70,394 to $355K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2022 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$131,038rise in budgeted general government expenses, 2025 to 2026
General government is the budget for council, elections and the money set aside for later. Its expenses go from $209,298 in the 2025 budget to $340,336 in the 2026 budget, a rise of $131,038. The Municipality lists the causes: a new eSCRIBE subscription for agendas, minutes and livestreams, higher legal fees, a $97,935 contribution to an asset management reserve (2% of the tax levy) and $62,500 for a 2026 strategic plan paid 90% by FedNor, a federal agency. It also says election costs fall sharply. The Municipality does not print the 2025 amount for legal fees, the line that rose, in the pages we could read.
Residents can see a rise but not how much of it is new services, how much is saved for later and how much is higher legal bills. Legal costs are the line most open to surprise.
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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
General Government, 2026 Budget: "Total Expenses $209,298 $340,336 $131,038" for 2025 budget, 2026 proposed and change. Notes: "New Escribe subscription for agendas, minutes, livestreaming, and video storage." "Legal fees increased." "Council conference and related expenses cleaned up for accuracy." "Significant reduction in 2026 election costs due to new voting system; $15,000 to be withdrawn from reserves." "$97,935 contribution to the Asset Management Reserve (2% of tax levy)." "$62,500 for the 2026 Strategic Plan funded 90% by FedNor."
2026 Budget Presentation, June 1, 2026 · slide 4 (PDF page 4), General Government
"Expenses rose mainly from legal fees, election costs, Escribe, Asset Management Reserve contribution and the strategic plan (90% funded by FEDNOR)."
2026 Budget Highlights (news post, June 2, 2026) · section "Budget Highlights", General Government
$206.5 million vs $128,152,000replacement value on the asset page (core assets, 2022) and in the 2024 plan (all assets)
The Municipality's asset management web page says its core assets (roads, bridges, water and sewer) have a total estimated replacement value of $206.5 million as of 2022. The 2024 asset management plan says the replacement cost of every asset category it covers, core and non-core together, is $128,152,000. A narrower list is worth more on one page than a wider list on the other.
Every funding gap and every target in the plan is a share of the replacement cost. If the value is wrong, the gap is wrong too, in either direction.
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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"operates core assets (roads, bridges, water, and sewer systems) with a total estimated replacement value is $206.5 million as of 2022."
Asset Management (web page) · section "Did you know"
"The overall replacement cost of the asset categories included in this AMP totals $128,152,000." The categories are core (roads, bridges and culverts, water, sanitary sewer, stormwater) and non-core (buildings, land improvements, vehicles, machinery and equipment).
Asset Management Plan 2024 (September 2025) · section 1.3 Findings, PDF page 6 (categories in section 1.1, PDF page 5)
$6,400.08reported commissioner costs for 2025 ($2,076.50 for advice plus $4,323.58 for complaints, worked out by us)
An integrity commissioner is an independent person who looks into complaints that a member of council broke the code of conduct. The 2025 annual report from the Municipality's commissioner says there were three complaints. Two led to reports to Council and the third was dismissed. It also reports five requests for advice, and costs of $2,076.50 for advice and $4,323.58 for complaints. We did not find the two reports to Council on the Integrity Commissioner page, which links only the annual report.
When a report goes to Council in public, residents can read what was found and what Council decided. An annual summary says that something happened, not what it was.
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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"There were three complaints submitted to the Integrity Commissioner for The Municipality of Markstay-Warren." "There were two reports submitted to council. The remaining complait was dismissed." "We received five requests for advice in 2025". "Costs associated with Advice provided was $2,076.50; and Costs associated with Complaints was $4,323.58."
Integrity Commissioner Annual Report, 2025 (March 17, 2026) · pages 2 and 3, sections "Requests for Advice" and "Complaints/Applications for Inquiry"
$498per home on snow ploughing, 2022
Markstay-Warren spent about $498 per home on snow ploughing in 2022. The typical similar town spent $137. None of the 27 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 Markstay-Warren? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Snow ploughing per home: Markstay-Warren $498; typical similar town $137; ranked 1st highest of 28.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2022, 27 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy