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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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

Your town, in plain words

How Oil Springs uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Oil Springs' budget, taxes and council decisions. A small village in Lambton County, southwestern Ontario, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.

Property tax raised in 2025$957Kall property in Oil Springs60% Town29% County10% SchoolsSee where your tax bill goes →
Town spending, 2025$1.5MAbout $4,303 per household, up 0.3% from 2024.See the money →
Property tax change+9.4%Oil Springs' own property tax came to $585K in 2025, against $535K in 2024.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Water, sewers and garbage$412K · 27%
Running the town office$390K · 26%
Roads and snow$292K · 19%
Police, fire and safety$277K · 18%
Show all 7 servicesShow fewer
Parks, arena and library$98,743 · 7%
Health$25,473 · 2%
Planning and business$3,530 · 0%

Day-to-day spending in 2025, from Oil Springs' report to the Province.

Where it comes fromWho pays for Oil Springs' services?Property taxes33%Fees people pay32%Money from Ontario (no strings)14%Other towns and the county10%Smaller sources11%$1.8M came in during 2025.See the money →

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 7 questions
Worth askingMoney health

Is the Village's cash cushion getting thinner each year?

35,538net financial assets at the end of 2024, down from 96,221 at the start of 2023

The Village's audited statements show cash falling from 614,905 at the start of 2023 to 329,203 at the end of 2024. Its net financial assets (what it owns in money-like form minus what it owes) fell from 96,221 to 35,538 over the same two years. A year with a bad surprise, like a big repair, would have little room to absorb it.

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

Worth askingOpenness

Where are the Village's budgets for 2022 to 2026?

The Village's Budget page lists one budget document, for 2021. We did not find a budget for any later year on the pages we read on October 7, 2026. The audited statements say the 2024 budget was approved by Council, so a 2024 budget exists.

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

Good to knowRecord-keeping

Why did the 2024 budget plan a deficit of 497,453 when the year ended with a surplus of 9,397?

(497,453)budgeted annual deficit for 2024, against an actual surplus of 9,397

The statements show a budgeted annual deficit of (497,453) for 2024 and an actual annual surplus of 9,397. The Village's own note explains the two are not measured the same way, so the gap is mostly about method, not overspending or underspending.

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

Show 3 more questionsShow fewer
Good to knowMoney health

How much does the Village still owe, and for how long?

885,932municipal debt at the end of 2024, with $24,576 of interest paid in 2024

The Village owed 885,932 in municipal debt at the end of 2024, down from 963,005. Most of it, 674,315, is one provincial loan (an Ontario Infrastructure debenture) at 2.43% that runs to September 2039. The Village's statements say its payments are within the debt limit set by the province.

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

Good to knowOpenness

When will the 2025 audited statements be posted?

The newest audited statements we found are for 2024, signed by the auditor on June 3, 2025. We did not find 2025 statements on the Financial Statements page on October 7, 2026. This may only mean the audit is not finished.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Good to knowSpending level

What will the Village pay the OPP for policing after 2024?

$102,664annual cost of OPP policing for 2024, per the Village's statements

The Village's statements say its policing agreement with the Ontario Provincial Police ran to December 31, 2024, at an annual cost of $102,664, with later amounts to be decided year by year. We did not find the later amounts in any document we read.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Where your tax bill goes

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

Tax bill split: Oil Springs 60%, County or region 29%, Schools 10%
$957Kraised in 2025
  • Oil Springs60%
  • County or region29%
  • Schools10%
  • 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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