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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Montague'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.
A clear, checkable guide to Montague's budget, taxes and council decisions. A rural township in Lanark County, next to Smiths Falls, with a reeve, a deputy reeve and three councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
$5,500,000drawn from OILC in 2025, with the whole amount due in 2026
In 2025 the Township began borrowing from Infrastructure Ontario and Land Corporation (OILC, the province's lending agency) to build a new fire hall and public works building. By December 31, 2025 it had drawn $5,500,000, and the statements list the whole amount as due in 2026. At the same time, its net financial assets (what it holds in cash and money owed to it, minus what it owes) went from $5,493,353 to a debt of $1,770,247. The Township says it plans to refinance on a long-term basis. We did not find the interest rate or the length of the long-term loan in the documents we read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$8,112,855added to buildings in 2025, against $211,000 listed in the 2025 budget for the new building
The 2025 budget lists $211,000 for the new building, for engineering drawings, and says the cost of borrowing for construction was not yet known. The audited 2025 statements show $8,112,855 added to buildings in 2025 and $8,908,583 spent on capital in all, against a capital figure of $2,085,000 in the statements' budget column. The Township's posted tender results show four bids received by July 16, 2024, from 6,385,650.00 to 7,496,700.00 (we did not match amounts to bidders, because the page prints names and amounts in separate blocks). The budget book itself shows a capital total of $2,721,000, which is not the same as the $2,085,000 in the statements. The statements explain that the budget was not prepared on the same basis as the actual results.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 7 sources
$1,879,700of capital projects listed as unfunded at the end of 2025
The 2025 statements list $1,879,700 of "unfunded capital projects": spending on assets that no reserve, grant or long-term loan had yet covered at year end. At the same time, the statements show reserves of $5,512,532 at the end of 2025, while the budget had planned for $4,328,540. Transfers from operations to reserves were $2,648,598 against a budget of $807,700. Some reserves fell (fire-purposes from $420,597 to $33,321, roadways from $1,939,455 to $1,464,127) and the reserve for acquisition of capital assets rose from $821,621 to $1,948,493. We did not find the Township's own explanation.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$309,792of bank interest in 2024, against a budget of $90,000 for 2025
The 2025 budget plans $90,000 for general bank account interest, the same figure as the 2024 budget. The 2025 budget's own report shows $309,792 of actual bank interest for 2024, and the 2024 budget shows $243,840 for 2023. The audited statements show investment income of $137,234 in 2025 against a budget of $90,000, and $341,395 in 2024. Cash fell from $5,623,166 to $3,381,809 during 2025, so less interest is likely in 2026.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$667,626annual surplus for 2025, against a budget of $347,526
The 2025 statements show an annual surplus of $667,626 against a budget of $347,526 (about 1.9 times the budget, worked out by us). Revenue was $6,380,475 against $5,999,290 budgeted, and expenses were $5,712,849 against $5,651,764. A different line in the notes shows an accumulated "Surplus" of $303,781, down from $529,130. A council news release says a report on how the 2025 surplus will be used will come to a future meeting.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
2025the newest year of budget listed on the Township's finance page
The finance page lists budgets for 2023 to 2025 and the 2025 audited statements, and says that for earlier years residents should email the Township for a copy. We did not find a 2026 budget there. A council release of August 6, 2026 says council received a "Budgetary Control Report as of June 30th, 2026" and a "2026 Capital Works and Grant Projects Update", but we could not find them, because the meeting documents sit behind pages that ask automated readers to stay out. The registry of declarations of interest on the council page shows its newest entry on April 20, 2021.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
In 2019, Montague had $4.4M more in cash and money owed to it than it owed to others. By 2025 it was −$1.8M. About 2% of that change ($133K) 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 5 of 30 similar towns are in a weaker position.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Where your tax bill goes
A property tax bill in Montague pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Montague council controls.
Tax bill split: Montague 58%, County or region 29%, Schools 13%
$6.6Mraised in 2025
Montague58%
County or region29%
Schools13%
How Montague's share of the bill compares with similar towns
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