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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 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.
Questions · 9 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Norfolk County's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 4 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$20,292,296investment income in 2025, against a budgeted $2,315,100
Investment income is the interest and gains the County earns on money it is not spending right away: savings, reserves and a long-term pot called the Legacy Fund. The County held $351,752,841 in investments at the end of 2025. The audited statements list the investment income the budget expected and what came in. For 2025 the budget was $2,315,100 and the result was $20,292,296. For 2024 the budget was $1,314,100 and the result was $19,493,523. For 2023 the result was $12,695,092. The County has explained part of this: it says short- and medium-term investments earned $32 million from 2015 to 2024 and the Legacy Fund earned nearly $35 million, which helped lower taxes and pay for road work and hospital support. The levy budget for 2026 also counts $7,408,800 under one line called "Financial Charges/Investment Income".
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$49,576,693owed for closing landfills and removing asbestos at December 31, 2025, up from $28,610,727
When a landfill closes, the law says it has to be capped and watched for decades. The County books its best guess of that future cost as a debt called an asset retirement obligation. At December 31, 2025 that debt was $49,576,693, up from $28,610,727 a year earlier. The landfill part is Norfolk's share of closing two shared landfills, Tom Howe and Canborough, at $47,828,693 in today's dollars. The rest is $1,748,000 for asbestos in County buildings. The note says the 2025 change came from "changes in estimates" of $21,645,231, and that it was charged to environmental services spending. That is why environmental services spending was $51,717,157 against a budget of $31,619,330. The 2024 statements also carried a change of $9,198,366. The County has not set aside particular assets to pay for the work.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$9,678,220tax-supported operating surplus at the end of 2025 ($10,710,659 at the end of 2024)
The levy is the part of the budget paid for by property taxes. The County's own financial report says 2025 ended with an operating surplus of $9.7 million, or 7.1%, in tax-supported operations. The notes to the statements show an operating surplus of $9,678,220 at the end of 2025 and $10,710,659 at the end of 2024. The 2026 operating budget book shows that, when it was written in January 2026, 2025 was forecast to use $128,017,600 of a levy of $136,416,200. The adopted 2026 levy is $146,503,100, which is $10,086,900 more. The County says the average home sees a 5.5 per cent tax increase after growth and the education levy are counted. The County also explains what happens to a levy surplus: each year it is "contributed to" the contingency reserve for the levy.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$85,330,621principal protected notes held at December 31, 2025, against $29,978,132 a year earlier
A principal protected note is an investment that usually promises to give back the money put in if it is held to the end, while the extra return depends on how a market or index does. At December 31, 2024 the County carried $29,978,132 of these notes. At December 31, 2025 it carried $85,330,621. A line called "ONE Fund Investments" ($41,388,189 in 2024) is blank in 2025. The County says it reviewed the Legacy Fund strategy and "implemented new portfolio recommendations" with "additional principal protection". The auditor's letter says the County changed its accounting in 2025 to show these notes at market value instead of cost and did not apply the change to earlier years. The letter puts the effect at about $1,338,000 and says management found it too small to matter.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$208,296,933in reserves at the end of 2025, plus $74,808,826 in the Legacy Fund
Reserves are savings the County sets aside for later, such as roads, buildings and emergencies. At the end of 2025 they came to $208,296,933, up from $179,806,958. A separate Legacy Fund held $74,808,826. The County says its reserves grew from $30 million in 2015 to over $200 million by the end of 2024, and that it has "previously approved commitments of $130 million". It also says that from 2015 to 2024 it added $239 million to reserves through budgeted contributions but took out $256 million, so the growth also came from other sources, such as surpluses and investment earnings. The 2026 levy budget plans $44,743,500 in transfers to reserves.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$430 millionactually spent, of $643 million approved for capital projects over ten years (the County's figures)
Capital spending is money for lasting things such as roads, bridges and buildings. The County says that over the past ten years it approved $643 million for capital projects but only $430 million was spent, "mostly because many projects take years to complete". The statements show the same gap in 2024: the budget for buying capital assets was $165,482,000 and the amount bought was $58,921,754. In 2025 the gap was smaller: a budget of $67,691,000 and $65,541,843 bought. The County says it is improving how it tracks and manages capital projects.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$1,601,538net gain on the health unit merger, booked as other income in 2025
On January 1, 2025 the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit merged with the Brant County Health Unit to form Grand Erie Public Health. The County's statements record a "restructuring cost recovery" of $1,620,000 and a net gain of $1,601,538, shown as other income. The County's explanation is that the payment "supports existing County support services during the transitionary period". The 2026 levy budget lists the health merger as a $(121,200) change with 4.10 fewer permanent staff positions.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$50,000,000maximum purchased insurance cover in 2025, up from $25,000,000
The statements say there are "outstanding legal and liability claims against the County" at the end of 2025. They say money has been set aside for claims that insurance is not expected to cover, but "the extent of the provision has not been disclosed as it may be adverse to the outcome of ongoing litigation". The County's insurance cover above its own self-insurance went up to a maximum of $50,000,000 from $25,000,000. The auditor lists "contingent liabilities" among the estimates in the statements. The 2026 budget adds a Risk & Claims Specialist job to work on claims and to "reduce insurance costs and generate revenue".
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$20,292,296investment income in 2025, against a budgeted $2,315,100
Investment income is the interest and gains the County earns on money it is not spending right away: savings, reserves and a long-term pot called the Legacy Fund. The County held $351,752,841 in investments at the end of 2025. The audited statements list the investment income the budget expected and what came in. For 2025 the budget was $2,315,100 and the result was $20,292,296. For 2024 the budget was $1,314,100 and the result was $19,493,523. For 2023 the result was $12,695,092. The County has explained part of this: it says short- and medium-term investments earned $32 million from 2015 to 2024 and the Legacy Fund earned nearly $35 million, which helped lower taxes and pay for road work and hospital support. The levy budget for 2026 also counts $7,408,800 under one line called "Financial Charges/Investment Income".
Why it matters
A budget is a promise about what the year will cost and bring in. When one line is ten times the budget three years running, either the budget is set low on purpose, or money that could lower taxes or be planned for is arriving without being counted. Residents deserve to know how much investment income was spent on services, how much was saved, and how it is set in the budget.
It could be because…
The statements say the budget is prepared on a different basis (modified accrual) from the statements (full accrual). The budget may leave out income the County does not count on, such as income on reserves.
Part of the income is earned on the Legacy Fund and on reserves. That money is set aside for roads, the hospital pledge and future needs, not for day-to-day spending, so it may not belong in the yearly tax budget.
The County may budget cautiously on purpose, because interest rates and markets can change. The 2025 portfolio carries interest rates from 2.15% to 7.34%, set when each investment was bought.
The 2026 levy budget does count $7,408,800 of "Financial Charges/Investment Income", so some of this income is already planned for.
Questions you could ask
How much of the $20,292,296 earned in 2025 came from the Legacy Fund, how much from reserves, and how much from day-to-day cash?
How much investment income did the County plan to use to lower the 2025 and 2026 levies, and why does the statements budget show only $2,315,100?
Does Council set a rule for how much investment income is counted in the yearly budget?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 14, Other income: "Investment income" budget 2,315,100, 2025 actual 20,292,296 (2024 actual 19,493,523). Total "Other income" budget $12,946,800, actual $34,386,051.
Note 4, Investments: carrying value at December 31, 2025 of $351,752,841 (2024: $293,334,782), of which GICs and short-term savings $203,769,302, principal protected notes 85,330,621 and government bonds and notes 53,776,844. "Maturity dates on the investments in the portfolio range from 2026 to 2044 and interest rates range from 2.15% to 7.34%".
Operating budget summary: "Financial Charges/Investment Income" is (7,731,000) in the 2025 approved budget and (7,408,800) in the 2026 adopted budget, as one revenue line.
Section "Investments": "From 2015 to 2024, short- and medium-term investments earned $32 million, helping to lower taxes, support services, and grow savings." The Legacy Fund "earned nearly $35 million in the same period, helping pay for major road work and future hospital support".
$49,576,693owed for closing landfills and removing asbestos at December 31, 2025, up from $28,610,727
When a landfill closes, the law says it has to be capped and watched for decades. The County books its best guess of that future cost as a debt called an asset retirement obligation. At December 31, 2025 that debt was $49,576,693, up from $28,610,727 a year earlier. The landfill part is Norfolk's share of closing two shared landfills, Tom Howe and Canborough, at $47,828,693 in today's dollars. The rest is $1,748,000 for asbestos in County buildings. The note says the 2025 change came from "changes in estimates" of $21,645,231, and that it was charged to environmental services spending. That is why environmental services spending was $51,717,157 against a budget of $31,619,330. The 2024 statements also carried a change of $9,198,366. The County has not set aside particular assets to pay for the work.
Why it matters
This is money the County will have to spend over many decades, and the estimate has gone up by $30.8 million in two years (worked out by us: $9,198,366 plus $21,645,231). Because it is a book entry and not cash spent this year, it does not show up in the tax budget. Residents may want to know what happened to the estimate, and how the County means to pay for it.
It could be because…
Estimates of this kind change when better information arrives. Landfill costs run for 84 to 95 years, so small changes in the cost per year, inflation (2.0%) or the discount rate (5.0%) move the total a lot.
The County's own report says asset retirement obligations are included in the statements but not in the operating budgets, so the budget gap for environmental services is expected.
The years in the note ("84 years" and "61 years" against "95" and "76") may be two different measures, such as years remaining against years of the whole period, and not a mistake.
This is a cost the County already owes under its landfill agreement with Haldimand County, and Haldimand pays a share of the total.
Questions you could ask
What changed in the landfill estimate in 2025 that added $21,645,231, and was a new engineering report behind it?
Which is right for how long the County must look after Tom Howe landfill: 84 years or 95?
Does the County plan a reserve for these costs, and how much would the yearly contribution be?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 7: "ARO at beginning of year" 28,610,727; "Increase in ARO reflecting accretion" 869,632; "ARO settled during the year" (1,548,897); "Increase in ARO reflecting changes in estimates" 21,645,231; "ARO at end of year" 49,576,693. The 2024 column shows changes in estimates of 9,198,366. Landfill sites 47,828,693; asbestos 1,748,000.
Note 7, Landfill sites: "Norfolk County has not designated any specific assets to assist with the cost of closing the sites." Norfolk County's share is "approximately $47,828,693". "Post-closure activities will continue for 84 years for Tom Howe landfill site and 61 years for Canborough landfill site." Key assumptions: inflation rate 2.0%, discount rate 5.0%, estimated time for post-closure rehabilitation and monitoring 95 (Tom Howe) and 76 (Canborough).
Statement of operations, 2025: "Environmental services" expenses budget 31,619,330, actual 51,717,157 (2024 actual 40,210,079). Total expenses budget 250,826,788, actual 262,362,159.
The County's page "Budget Figures vs. Financial Statements": "Amortization, loss on disposal, asset retirement obligations, unfunded post-employment benefits, and non-vested sick leave are included in the financial statements but not in the operating budgets."
Note 10: "Unfunded liabilities", "Asset retirement obligations" (49,576,693) in 2025 and (28,610,727) in 2024, are deducted within the accumulated surplus of $840,364,112.
$9,678,220tax-supported operating surplus at the end of 2025 ($10,710,659 at the end of 2024)
The levy is the part of the budget paid for by property taxes. The County's own financial report says 2025 ended with an operating surplus of $9.7 million, or 7.1%, in tax-supported operations. The notes to the statements show an operating surplus of $9,678,220 at the end of 2025 and $10,710,659 at the end of 2024. The 2026 operating budget book shows that, when it was written in January 2026, 2025 was forecast to use $128,017,600 of a levy of $136,416,200. The adopted 2026 levy is $146,503,100, which is $10,086,900 more. The County says the average home sees a 5.5 per cent tax increase after growth and the education levy are counted. The County also explains what happens to a levy surplus: each year it is "contributed to" the contingency reserve for the levy.
Why it matters
If a tax budget is regularly $10 million more than the County spends, taxpayers may be paying more than needed in that year. If the surplus goes into the contingency reserve on purpose, that is saving, which is a choice Council should make openly. The question is how much of the yearly increase is for services and how much is for building up reserves.
It could be because…
The County says surpluses are put into the contingency reserve, so the money is kept for later and not lost.
Savings in a year can come from things that were not known in the fall: unfilled jobs, a warm winter for snow clearing, or grants that arrived.
The 2026 book gives a forecast made in early 2026 ($128,017,600), which differs from the final audited surplus, so the two figures are not meant to match.
Part of the 2026 increase is for roads and buildings (infrastructure funding of $3,410,400) and for police and boards the County does not control, not just for the day-to-day budget.
Questions you could ask
How much of the $9,678,220 surplus was planned in the 2025 budget, and how much came from savings during the year?
How much of the 2026 levy increase of $10,086,900 goes into reserves, and how much pays for services?
The early forecast in the 2026 book leaves about $8.4 million of the 2025 levy unspent (worked out by us: $136,416,200 less $128,017,600), and the final surplus is $9,678,220. What explains the difference?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Message from the General Manager and Treasurer: "The year concluded with an operating surplus of $9.7 million or 7.1% in tax supported operations and $0.5 million or 1.5% in rate supported operations."
News release at the front of the budget book: "The adopted operating budget represents a net levy requirement of $146.5 million, an increase of $10.1 million over 2025." The average residential property "can expect a 5.5 per cent property tax increase, bringing the total to $4,083".
"Levy and Rate Surplus/Deficit": "each year the surplus/deficits are contributed to (surplus) or removed from (deficit) the contingency reserve for the levy and the respective capital replacement reserve for rate."
$85,330,621principal protected notes held at December 31, 2025, against $29,978,132 a year earlier
A principal protected note is an investment that usually promises to give back the money put in if it is held to the end, while the extra return depends on how a market or index does. At December 31, 2024 the County carried $29,978,132 of these notes. At December 31, 2025 it carried $85,330,621. A line called "ONE Fund Investments" ($41,388,189 in 2024) is blank in 2025. The County says it reviewed the Legacy Fund strategy and "implemented new portfolio recommendations" with "additional principal protection". The auditor's letter says the County changed its accounting in 2025 to show these notes at market value instead of cost and did not apply the change to earlier years. The letter puts the effect at about $1,338,000 and says management found it too small to matter.
Why it matters
The notes are now about a quarter of the $351,752,841 in investments (worked out by us), and they run to 2044 at the longest. Residents may want to know who holds the County's money, what the notes return and what happens if they are sold early.
It could be because…
The County says the change adds principal protection, reduces fees and spreads risk. Moving from other funds into protected notes would explain the growth.
The auditor and management both treated the accounting differences as too small to matter to the statements as a whole, and the auditor still gave a clean opinion.
These are normal, authorized investments under the Municipal Act, and the statements say they are quoted in an active market.
Questions you could ask
Who issued each note, how much does each hold, when does each mature, and what happens if the County must sell one before it matures?
Why was the change to market value not applied to earlier years, and will the 2026 statements show the effect?
Does the County's investment policy limit how much of its money can be held in notes of this kind?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 4, Investments: "Principal protected notes (PPNs)" market value and carrying value 85,330,621 in 2025; 2024 market value 31,754,980, carrying value 29,978,132. "ONE Fund Investments" 2024 41,388,189, 2025 "-". "ONE Fund Equities (PPNs)" 8,876,074 in 2025 and 38,381,918 in 2024. Total carrying value $351,752,841 against $293,334,782.
Message from the General Manager and Treasurer, highlight 5: "Completed review of Norfolk's Legacy Fund investment strategy and implemented new portfolio recommendations in order to mitigate risk with additional principal protection while also reducing fees and diversifying for a stronger investment portfolio."
"In 2025, the County changed their accounting policy to recognize investments held in principal protected notes at market value instead of amortized cost. They did not apply this accounting policy change retrospectively." The effect is described as "approximately $1,338,000". A second item: "In 2024, the County did not record accrued interest on its long-term liabilities", about $351,000. "Management have reviewed the above identified misstatements and have determined them to be immaterial".
Statement of remeasurement gains and losses: unrealized gains on investments 14,160,224 in 2025 (2024: 2,803,780); amounts reclassified to operations (8,331,057); net remeasurement gains for the year 5,829,167; accumulated remeasurement gains $14,057,267.
Norfolk County spent $21.7M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $45M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
Why did the cost of water, sewers and garbage grow 108% in 6 years?
Water, sewers and garbage
Prices (inflation)
−50%+0%+50%+100%+150%
+108%
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Water, sewers and garbage
Prices (inflation)
2019
+0%
+0%
2020
+20%
+1%
2021
−1%
+4%
2022
+5%
+11%
2023
−2%
+16%
2024
+50%
+18%
2025
+108%
+21%
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
Why it matters
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.
It could be because…
The town added a service, a building or staff that residents asked for.
Costs were moved from another area, so the total did not really change.
Accounting rules changed how costs are sorted.
Large one-time costs, like a study, lawsuit or repair, landed in one year.
Questions you could ask
What did the extra $23.3M a year pay for?
Why did the dump (landfill) go from $3.9M to $23.8M?
Was each increase approved by council as a separate decision, or did it happen through the yearly budget?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
$208,296,933in reserves at the end of 2025, plus $74,808,826 in the Legacy Fund
Reserves are savings the County sets aside for later, such as roads, buildings and emergencies. At the end of 2025 they came to $208,296,933, up from $179,806,958. A separate Legacy Fund held $74,808,826. The County says its reserves grew from $30 million in 2015 to over $200 million by the end of 2024, and that it has "previously approved commitments of $130 million". It also says that from 2015 to 2024 it added $239 million to reserves through budgeted contributions but took out $256 million, so the growth also came from other sources, such as surpluses and investment earnings. The 2026 levy budget plans $44,743,500 in transfers to reserves.
Why it matters
Large reserves are a sign of care for the future, and the County has explained them. What is left to know is how much is free and how much is already promised, so residents can judge whether a 5.5 per cent increase is needed.
It could be because…
The County says it did not save enough to replace old infrastructure in the past and had to borrow, and that it is building reserves to avoid more borrowing.
Much of the money is already promised: the County says $130 million of approved commitments are waiting on projects.
The County says its taxes are at or below average compared with similar municipalities.
Questions you could ask
How much of the $208,296,933 in reserves is already committed to named projects, and how much is free?
How do the reserve additions of $239 million and withdrawals of $256 million fit with growth from $30 million to over $200 million?
At what level would the County stop adding to reserves through the tax levy?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 10: "Reserves" total 208,296,933 (2024: 179,806,958), including "Capital purposes" 82,516,213, "Capital replacement - wastewater" 32,448,775, "Capital replacement - water" 28,331,109 and "Contingencies" 27,844,680. "Legacy fund" 74,808,826 (2024: 66,962,646).
"The County's reserves grew from $30 million in 2015 to over $200 million by the end of 2024, including $85 million in levy capital reserves", with "previously approved commitments of $130 million". "From 2015 to 2024, Norfolk added $239 million to its savings (reserves) through budgeted contributions, but took out $256 million."
News release: "After the impacts of growth and education levies are considered, the average residential property can expect a 5.5 per cent property tax increase, bringing the total to $4,083 for a typical Norfolk County home".
$430 millionactually spent, of $643 million approved for capital projects over ten years (the County's figures)
Capital spending is money for lasting things such as roads, bridges and buildings. The County says that over the past ten years it approved $643 million for capital projects but only $430 million was spent, "mostly because many projects take years to complete". The statements show the same gap in 2024: the budget for buying capital assets was $165,482,000 and the amount bought was $58,921,754. In 2025 the gap was smaller: a budget of $67,691,000 and $65,541,843 bought. The County says it is improving how it tracks and manages capital projects.
Why it matters
When a large part of approved capital money is not spent, taxes and reserve contributions may have been raised for projects that were not yet being built, and roads and buildings that wait cost more later.
It could be because…
The County explains that large projects span several years, so money approved in one year is spent in the next.
In 2025 the County spent nearly all of its capital budget, which suggests the tracking changes are working.
Unspent approvals are carried forward and are not lost.
Questions you could ask
How much approved capital money is still unspent today, and which projects is it waiting on?
What does the County do with tax money raised for a project that has not started?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
"Over the past 10 years, Norfolk County approved $643 million for capital projects like roads and water systems, but only $430 million was actually spent—mostly because many projects take years to complete."
Statement of changes in net financial assets, 2024: "Purchase of tangible capital assets" budget (165,482,000), 2024 actual (58,921,754), 2023 actual (56,110,440).
$1,601,538net gain on the health unit merger, booked as other income in 2025
On January 1, 2025 the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit merged with the Brant County Health Unit to form Grand Erie Public Health. The County's statements record a "restructuring cost recovery" of $1,620,000 and a net gain of $1,601,538, shown as other income. The County's explanation is that the payment "supports existing County support services during the transitionary period". The 2026 levy budget lists the health merger as a $(121,200) change with 4.10 fewer permanent staff positions.
Why it matters
One-time money is easy to mistake for money that will return each year. Residents may want to know how long the transition period lasts and whether the support costs the payment covers will continue after it ends.
It could be because…
The money is a one-time payment for real costs, such as finance and payroll support the County gave to the health unit.
The statements say the County also settled $1,554,293 of owed and owing balances directly with the new health unit, so the transfer was clean.
Questions you could ask
How long is the "transitionary period", and what County services does the $1,620,000 cover?
Will any further payments be made after 2025, and are the 4.10 positions removed in the 2026 budget the same support services?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 21, Restructuring event: the County "settled $1,554,293 of outstanding operational accounts receivable, accounts payable, and deferred revenue directly with GEPH". "The restructuring compensation provided to the County supports existing County support services during the transitionary period". "Restructuring cost recovery" 1,620,000; "Net gain on restructuring event" 1,601,538.
$50,000,000maximum purchased insurance cover in 2025, up from $25,000,000
The statements say there are "outstanding legal and liability claims against the County" at the end of 2025. They say money has been set aside for claims that insurance is not expected to cover, but "the extent of the provision has not been disclosed as it may be adverse to the outcome of ongoing litigation". The County's insurance cover above its own self-insurance went up to a maximum of $50,000,000 from $25,000,000. The auditor lists "contingent liabilities" among the estimates in the statements. The 2026 budget adds a Risk & Claims Specialist job to work on claims and to "reduce insurance costs and generate revenue".
Why it matters
Claims paid out of tax money are a real cost. The County has given a reason for not publishing the amount, which is common while cases are open. Residents can still ask when the amount will be known.
It could be because…
Publishing a number for a case still before a court could hurt the County's position, which is the County's own stated reason.
Most claims are covered by insurance, so the County's own share may be small.
Questions you could ask
What was the total of claims outstanding at December 31, 2025, and what share is not covered by insurance?
When will the County report the cost of the claims once the cases end?
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 Norfolk County?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 17, Public liability insurance: "Purchased insurance coverage is in place for claims in excess of the County's self-insurance coverage to a maximum of $50,000,000 (2024 - $25,000,000)." "At December 31, 2025, there are outstanding legal and liability claims against the County." The provision "has not been disclosed as it may be adverse to the outcome of ongoing litigation".
New Budget Initiatives: "Risk & Claims Specialist", "Addition of 1.0 FTE dedicated to internal claims and cost recovery to reduce insurance costs and generate revenue". The opening news release lists it as "no impact on the tax levy".
Can we count your visit? With your OK, we use Google Analytics to see which pages help people. It sets cookies and sends visit data to Google. Nothing loads unless you say yes. Privacy