Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to McGarry's budget, taxes and council decisions. A small township in the Timiskaming District of northeastern Ontario, made up of Virginiatown and Kearns. Every figure links back to the public record.
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Questions worth asking
Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.
+17%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, McGarry collected $136K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 17% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 1 of 43 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 15% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 0.0%.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
$849Kowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $849K of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 84% of everything billed. None of the 43 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.2M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$938,806municipal debt at December 31, 2025, up from $511,389 a year earlier
At the end of 2025 the Township owed $938,806 in loans and a capital lease, up from $511,389 a year earlier (a rise of $427,417, worked out by us). The biggest new item is a $599,169 loan from RBC "for cash flow purposes", secured by future Province of Ontario funding and maturing in June 2030. The Township also repaid a $2,008,608 demand loan (a loan the bank can call at any time) that had financed its water upgrade. The 2026 budget report gives the Township's own view: it is "nearing its borrowing limit", so future loans will not be possible if unexpected costs arise, and the Finance Committee recommends putting $50,000 into reserves. Principal due in 2026 is $276,202, and interest paid in 2025 was $36,527 (2024: $32,608).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$2,240,330asbestos removal obligation at December 31, 2025, within $2,584,695 of total cleanup obligations
The statements record "asset retirement obligations", which are costs the Township is legally required to pay later to close or clean up what it owns. The total is $2,584,695 at December 31, 2025 (2024: $2,514,297). Of that, $2,240,330 is for asbestos removal in the Township's buildings, which the note says must be handled "upon renovation or demolition". The others are the landfill ($210,537), a gravel pit ($57,323), the water well and pumphouse ($68,243) and a fuel tank ($8,262). The statements list "Unfinanced asset retirement obligations" of $(2,584,695) in the accumulated surplus, next to net debt of $(1,966,524). The 2026 budget report says council has decided to sell the Tourist Centre and is exploring moving staff to the Community Centre. The report does not say which buildings contain asbestos.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$240,000Tourist Centre revenue in the 2026 budget, against $190 in 2025 (the report does not say what it is)
The 2026 budget report shows total revenue of $2,885,848 and total expenses of $2,911,061, a deficit of $25,213. One line stands out: the Tourist Centre has $240,000.00 of revenue in the 2026 budget, against $190.00 actually earned in 2025. Without it the deficit would be $265,213 (worked out by us). The report does not say what the $240,000 is. The same report says council "has decided to sell the Tourist Centre". In 2025 council closed the Tourist Centre for the season and its April 2025 staff report discussed moving the Township office into it if federal funding was found to renovate it.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
General government covers the running of the Township itself. The Township's budget report says it includes wages for the Mayor, council and administrative staff, legal fees, audit costs and professional services, and training, memberships and website maintenance. In the audited statements it cost $1,060,509 in 2025, against a budget of $865,797 (a gap of $194,712, or 22.5%, worked out by us) and $802,728 in 2024. In the notes the biggest non-staff lines in this group are "Materials" of $548,524, contracted services of $61,617 and rents and financial expenses of $41,352. We did not find the Township's own explanation. The 2026 budget report, which shows departments on a different basis, has Administration at $677,511.60 for 2025 (not audited) against a budget of $750,154.00, so it does not show an overspend.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$2.0Min temporary loans, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, McGarry owed $2.0M on temporary loans. That is like putting 37% of a year's income on a line of credit. This is short-term borrowing for building projects, which is normal while waiting for a grant or a long-term loan. Only 4 of 43 similar towns had any temporary loans at the end of 2024.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$479,634surplus on the tax-levy budget basis in 2025, against a budget of nil
Council sets the tax levy with a budget that counts borrowing and capital spending but leaves out amortization. On that basis the 2025 budget was balanced at nil and the actual result was a surplus of $479,634. The Township's April 2025 staff report, after council's cost cuts, said the budget had "a surplus of just over $25,277.00". The result includes new debt of $1,017,847 (budget: nothing) and debt repayments of $590,430 (budget $180,088). The net new borrowing of $427,417 (worked out by us) is part of the surplus, so without it the surplus would be $52,217 (worked out by us). The Township's reserves and surpluses grew by about the same amount as the surplus (see the question on reserve funds).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
A reserve fund is money set aside for one purpose, such as the fire department or the library. At the end of 2024 the Township listed six reserve funds worth $368,388 in total: recreation programs and facilities $217,383, fire department $28,722, future development $11,749, library $2,738, waterworks capital projects $95,025 and community events $12,771. At the end of 2025 every one of them is shown as nil. In the same year "reserves, surpluses and deficits" rose from $707,989 to $1,556,977. The statements say reserves are "non-statutory and subject to change by council at any time". We did not find a note that says where the reserve funds went.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
The water supply system carries its own balance in the accumulated surplus. At the end of 2025 it was a deficit of $(312,797), an improvement from $(457,380). The Township paid for its water upgrade project with a revolving loan facility of $2,356,033, which had $2,008,608 outstanding at the end of 2024 and nothing at the end of 2025. The 2026 budget report shows water revenue of $203,850.00 against expenses of $203,321.00, a surplus of $529.00. In 2025 the water department finished $39,231.03 ahead (not audited) after budgeting a deficit of $38,720.00, helped by a 5% increase in water, wastewater and debenture charges from July 1, 2025. The provincial grant for the water and sewer project (NORDS) is finished and will pay nothing in 2026.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
−$1.9Mnet financial position, 2024
In 2019, McGarry had $374K more in cash and money owed to it than it owed to others. By 2024 it was −$1.9M. About 108% of that change ($2.5M) is a new accounting rule from 2023: towns must now record the future cost of closing things like a landfill. That is not new spending or borrowing. Even leaving that out, only 13 of 43 similar towns are in a weaker position.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
2024 tax year · McGarry, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what McGarry's share pays for.
Ontario still uses property values from January 1, 2016 for tax, so your assessed value is probably well below what your home would sell for today.
It is on your property assessment notice from MPAC, and on your tax bill. We filled in the typical value in McGarry.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
McGarry council sets only its own share. the Province sets the school rate.
An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits McGarry's share by what each service cost in 2024 after its own fees and grants (for example, water bills pay for much of a water system). Real bills also depend on your property class, local charges and any rebates.
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Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.
We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.
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