Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026Details

This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Norfolk County'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.

The money · 2025

How Norfolk County's money works

A town is a bit like a household. Money comes in (mostly taxes and grants), and money goes out to pay for services like roads, fire trucks and the arena. Here is what that looked like in 2025, the latest year the town has reported to the Province.

Why 2025 and not this year? A budget is a plan. These figures are what actually happened, checked by an auditor and reported to Ontario.

Money in: $319M

Where the town's money came from in 2025.

44%

27%

15%

Property taxes$141M44%
Grants for specific projects$87.2M27%
Fees people pay$47M15%
Other$25.9M8%
Everything else$18.5M6%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$140,736,893	44.1%
Grants for specific projects	$87,189,903	27.3%
Fees people pay	$47,007,260	14.7%
Other	$25,936,937	8.1%
Everything else	$18,508,908	5.8%
Total	$319,379,901	100%

What each source means

Property taxes: What home and business owners pay each year, based on what their property is worth.
Grants for specific projects: Money from Ontario or Canada that must be spent on a certain thing, often a road or building.
Fees people pay: Water and sewer bills, dump fees, arena rentals, permits and similar charges.
Other: Interest earned, donations, sales of land and equipment.

Money out: $229M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the town recorded $33.5M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

11%

12%

20%

28%

Running the town office$25.5M11%
Police, fire and safety$21.2M9%
Roads and snow$27.1M12%
Water, sewers and garbage$45M20%
Health$14.6M6%
Social services$64.2M28%
Housing$11.7M5%
Parks, arena and library$15.1M7%
Planning and business$4.3M2%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the town office	$25,499,345	11.1%
Police, fire and safety	$21,231,682	9.3%
Roads and snow	$27,126,500	11.9%
Water, sewers and garbage	$44,990,727	19.7%
Health	$14,625,608	6.4%
Social services	$64,196,493	28.1%
Housing	$11,709,268	5.1%
Parks, arena and library	$15,149,700	6.6%
Planning and business	$4,312,248	1.9%
Total	$228,841,571	100%

Social services

$64.2M

Help for people and families who need it, and child care.

+45% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Seniors$26.4M+61%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$20.8M+17%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$17M+70%
Daycare and early learning.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Seniors	$26,385,477	+60.9%
Income support	$20,796,429	+17.3%
Child care	$17,014,587	+69.8%

Water, sewers and garbage

$45M

Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.

+108% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

The dump (landfill)$23.8M+510%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Sewage treatment$5.6M+42%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Garbage pickup$4.0M+30%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Water treatment$3.8M+21%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Other environment$3.6M+75%
Other environmental costs.
Water pipes$1.7M+6%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Storm drains$1.2M+96%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Recycling$752K−69%
Recycling and composting.
Sewer pipes$550K−41%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
The dump (landfill)	$23,756,417	+510.1%
Sewage treatment	$5,560,545	+42.4%
Garbage pickup	$4,038,138	+29.5%
Water treatment	$3,821,871	+20.5%
Other environment	$3,602,598	+74.9%
Water pipes	$1,662,054	+6.5%
Storm drains	$1,247,348	+95.6%
Recycling	$752,021	−68.6%
Sewer pipes	$549,735	−41.3%

Roads and snow

$27.1M

Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.

+13% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Paved roads$14.1M+1%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Snow ploughing$6.7M+10%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Roadsides and signs$3.6M+47%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Street lights$1.1M+66%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Public transit$621K+58%
Buses.
Gravel roads$400K+233%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Bridges and culverts$312K+310%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Sidewalk snow$231K+50%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Parking$69,280
Town parking lots and meters.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Paved roads	$14,122,331	+1.0%
Snow ploughing	$6,675,861	+9.6%
Roadsides and signs	$3,598,768	+46.7%
Street lights	$1,096,559	+65.7%
Public transit	$620,807	+58.2%
Gravel roads	$399,617	+232.6%
Bridges and culverts	$311,998	+310.5%
Sidewalk snow	$231,279	+50.3%
Parking	$69,280	–

Running the town office

$25.5M

Council, managers, the clerk, accounting, computers, insurance and the town hall itself. Every town needs some of this, but it does not fix a road or put out a fire.

+34% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$18.1M+39%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the town hall. Towns share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$6.6M+24%
The top managers who run the town day to day.
Council$847K+6%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$18,086,801	+39.3%
Senior management	$6,565,541	+24.1%
Council	$847,003	+5.7%

Police, fire and safety

$21.2M

Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.

+12% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$13.4M+3%
What the town pays for policing.
Fire department$3.9M+24%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
Building permits$1.7M+17%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
By-law and animal control$821K+17%
Enforcing town rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Emergency planning$739K+172%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Traffic court$735K+66%
Handling tickets and fines.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$13,354,339	+2.9%
Fire department	$3,867,538	+23.6%
Building permits	$1,714,187	+16.9%
By-law and animal control	$821,053	+17.3%
Emergency planning	$739,461	+171.8%
Traffic court	$735,104	+66.0%

Parks, arena and library

$15.1M

Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.

+9% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Arena and buildings$4.3M+3%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Library$3.0M+28%
The public library.
Other recreation$2.6M+12%
Other recreation costs.
Parks$1.7M+14%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Programs$1.4M+11%
Classes, camps and activities.
Museums$1.1M−18%
Local museums.
Golf, marina, ski hill$987K+12%
Town-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Arena and buildings	$4,311,595	+2.6%
Library	$3,042,472	+28.0%
Other recreation	$2,603,971	+12.3%
Parks	$1,709,466	+13.6%
Programs	$1,350,959	+10.8%
Museums	$1,144,684	−17.7%
Golf, marina, ski hill	$986,553	+12.0%

Health

$14.6M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

−17% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$12.2M+41%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$2.0M−77%
Health inspections and programs.
Cemeteries$458K+52%
Looking after town cemeteries.
Other health$14,333−46%
Other health costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$12,161,430	+41.2%
Public health	$1,991,647	−77.0%
Cemeteries	$458,198	+52.4%
Other health	$14,333	−45.7%

Housing

$11.7M

Affordable and social housing.

+35% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Non-profit housing$11.7M+35%
Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Non-profit housing	$11,709,268	+35.5%

Planning and business

$4.3M

Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to town.

+19% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

New housing$1.3M+43%
Helping new homes get built.
Business and tourism$1.2M+31%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$1.2M+9%
Deciding what can be built where.
Farms and forests$578K−12%
Programs for farms and forests.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
New housing	$1,255,404	+43.3%
Business and tourism	$1,249,460	+30.6%
Planning and zoning	$1,229,380	+9.0%
Farms and forests	$578,004	−12.2%

What the money bought

The same 2025 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.

Staff pay and benefits$84.8M
Wages, benefits and pensions for town workers.
Outside companies$47.8M
Work the town pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Money given to others$46.2M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Rent and money costs$26.6M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Supplies and utilities$20.7M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Interest on loans$2.7M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the town borrowed.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$84,823,536
Outside companies	$47,777,484
Money given to others	$46,216,971
Rent and money costs	$26,621,972
Supplies and utilities	$20,667,226
Interest on loans	$2,734,382

Staff

People on the town's payroll at the end of each year, as reported to the Province.

Year	Full-time	Part-time	Seasonal
2019	655	295	158
2020	647	270	107
2021	659	274	130
2022	658	289	140
2023	681	305	113
2024	693	307	126
2025	650	280	129

How things have changed since 2019

Money in compared with day-to-day spending, each year. When the orange line is above the blue one, the town spent more than it took in and made up the difference from savings or loans. Grants for big projects arrive in some years and not others, which makes "money in" jump around.

$319M

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$205M	$172M
2020	$229M	$166M
2021	$241M	$167M
2022	$264M	$188M
2023	$272M	$184M
2024	$295M	$210M
2025	$319M	$229M

Town property tax

Up 53% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$141M

Show as a table

Year	Town property tax
2019	$92.1M
2020	$100M
2021	$107M
2022	$113M
2023	$123M
2024	$132M
2025	$141M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$283M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$91M
2020	$107M
2021	$137M
2022	$177M
2023	$203M
2024	$247M
2025	$283M

What the town owes

Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.

$70.8M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$76M	$0
2020	$82M	$0
2021	$75.1M	$0
2022	$85.1M	$0
2023	$85M	$0
2024	$77.6M	$0
2025	$70.8M	$0

Building new things

Spending on new or rebuilt roads, pipes, buildings and equipment, compared with how fast existing ones wear out.

$54.6M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$41.4M	$26.3M
2020	$37.7M	$27M
2021	$37.2M	$28.6M
2022	$47.6M	$29.5M
2023	$32.7M	$31M
2024	$61.2M	$32M
2025	$54.6M	$33.5M

Source: Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), Schedules 10, 40, 51, 60, 70, 74 and 80 (archived copy). Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Retrieved 2026-10-01. Figures are what the municipality reported to the Province for each year, prepared on the same basis as its audited financial statements.