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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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

Your town, in plain words

How Melancthon uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Melancthon's budget, taxes and council decisions. A rural township in Dufferin County, Ontario, with a mayor, a deputy mayor and three councillor seats (one is shown as vacant on the Township's council page). Every figure links back to the public record.

Property tax raised in 2025$7.6Mall property in Melancthon47% Town36% County18% SchoolsSee where your tax bill goes →
Town spending, 2025$4.1MAbout $3,987 per household, up 15.1% from 2024.See the money →
Property tax change+4.6%Melancthon's own property tax came to $3.5M in 2025, against $3.4M in 2024.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Roads and snow$1.9M · 47%
Running the town office$884K · 21%
Police, fire and safety$864K · 21%
Parks, arena and library$298K · 7%
Show all 6 servicesShow fewer
Planning and business$112K · 3%
Water, sewers and garbage$47,196 · 1%

Day-to-day spending in 2025, from Melancthon's report to the Province.

A fair comparisonHow does Melancthon compare?Among 30 similar Ontario towns, Melancthon's day-to-day spending per household is near the middle.Melancthon is here · 19 of 30, lowest to highestCompare Melancthon →

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 10 questions
Worth askingMoney health

How much of the Township's income comes from company payments that are set to end?

$644,633from three community contribution lines in 2025 (worked out by us), about 12.0% of total revenue

In 2025 the Township's statements show three "community contribution" lines in other income: $309,000, $296,993 and $38,640. Added together (worked out by us) that is $644,633, about 12.0% of the $5,352,953 in total revenue. A note on commitments says one wind power company's payments run only through 2026 (Phase I) and 2028 (Phase II). The statements do not say what happens after.

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

Worth askingMoney health

Why did the Township borrow more on its operating loan while holding $5,030,723 in cash?

$450,000operating loans at December 31, 2025, up from $290,000, with $50,000 of credit room left

At December 31, 2025 operating loans were $450,000, up from $290,000, and the cash flow statement shows the Township drew $160,000 more during the year. The same statements show cash and portfolio investments of $5,030,723, of which $3,685,617 was unrestricted cash. The loans bear interest at prime less 0.75%. The largest bank account is said to earn prime less 2.05%. The room left on the credit line fell to $50,000 from $210,000.

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

Worth askingMoney health

Why have unpaid taxes grown to $1,007,419, and how much has been owed for more than a year?

$1,007,419taxes receivable at December 31, 2025, up from $854,280

Taxes receivable (bills not yet paid) were $1,007,419 at December 31, 2025, up from $854,280. The statements' aging table puts $698,441 at 91 to 365 days, $293,795 at 1 to 2 years and $15,183 in the 3 to 5 year column. Penalties and interest on taxes came in at $135,941 against a budget of $105,000.

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

Worth askingRising costs

What drove a 13.8% jump in expenses in 2025, mostly in roads?

13.8%rise in total expenses from 2024 to 2025 (worked out by us from $4,564,597 and $5,196,084)

Total expenses were $5,196,084 in 2025, against $4,564,597 in 2024, a rise of $631,487 or 13.8% (worked out by us). Transportation services alone rose by $500,345 (worked out by us), from $2,377,780 to $2,878,125. Amortization (the yearly wearing-out of assets, a bookkeeping cost) rose by $89,157 (worked out by us), so it explains only a small part. Materials rose from $1,101,274 to $1,401,034 and salaries and benefits from $1,337,231 to $1,479,565.

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

Show 6 more questionsShow fewer
Worth askingMoney health

Why is $1,320,348 of development charge money sitting unspent?

$1,320,348development charges held at December 31, 2025, with $8,500 used during the year

Development charges are fees the Township collects from builders to pay for growth. At the end of 2025 the Township held $1,320,348 of them. In 2025 it collected $104,014 and used only $8,500. The 2025 budget expected $686,500 of reserve fund money to be used for projects, against $122,481 actually used, and the 2024 statements show $760,000 budgeted against $128,020. Most of the 2025 amount used was Federal Gas Tax ($100,000), not development charges.

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

Worth askingHow decisions are made

How and when will the Equipment Reserve be paid back for the 7th Line road work?

$200,000to be borrowed from the Equipment Reserve for the 7th Line road work, per the March 5, 2026 minutes

At the March 5, 2026 budget meeting the minutes say the 7th Line SW needed more than patch paving, that $125,000 was in the budget and $200,000 more was needed, and that Council decided to borrow it from the Equipment Reserve, with a repayment plan to be passed at the next meeting. The reserve for replacing equipment had already fallen in 2025, from $829,966 to $405,716. In the March 19 and April 2, 2026 minutes we found no repayment plan.

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

Worth askingMoney health

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?

$1.0Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2025

At the end of 2025, $1.0M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 5 of 29 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $854K.

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

Good to knowRecord-keeping

Is the old landfill cleanup cost still based on a 2008 estimate?

$323,693recorded landfill closure and post-closure liability, from a 2008 estimate, against $181,871 in the reserve fund

The statements record $323,693 for closing and monitoring the old landfill, which the County of Dufferin took over on June 1, 2013. The note says the Township uses "the estimates in the report dated 2008" until an updated report exists, and describes the site as expected to be filled "in 2 years". A different note says the Township "has not identified any asset retirement obligations". The reserve fund set aside for the cost is $181,871.

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

Good to knowRising costs

Why does the 2026 planning budget rise to $360,000?

$360,000planning in the 2026 budget, against $125,000 in the 2025 budget

The 2026 budget book shows planning at $360,000, up from $125,000 in the 2025 budget. The Township's own planning page explains part of the setting: Council hired outside experts to peer review a proposed quarry application, and reports on surface water and natural heritage were finished and sent to the applicant. We did not find a Township document saying how much of the $360,000 is for that work or whether the applicant pays it back.

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

Where your tax bill goes

A property tax bill in Melancthon pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Melancthon council controls.

Tax bill split: Melancthon 47%, County or region 36%, Schools 18%
$7.6Mraised in 2025
  • Melancthon47%
  • County or region36%
  • Schools18%

  • 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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