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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Richmond Hill'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 Richmond Hill's budget, taxes and council decisions. A city of more than 222,000 residents (as the city's 2026 budget book prints it) in York Region, with a mayor, two regional and local councillors and six ward councillors. York Region also taxes its residents. Every figure links back to the public record.
$185.51Muncommitted development charges at the end of 2024, up from $162.50 million a year earlier (the city's own statement)
Development charges are fees builders pay so that growth helps pay for the roads, water pipes and other works it needs. The money is held in separate funds that can only be spent on those works. The city's own 2024 statement says the uncommitted balance in these funds grew from $162.50 million to $185.51 million in 2024, and that from 2020 to 2024 the city collected $113.88 million and put $48.39 million into capital projects. The city says the gap between collecting and spending is a matter of timing and should even out over a long period, and that it meets the province's rule on spending or allocating the money. We did not find, in the documents we opened, a year-by-year plan showing when the balance will be spent, or a figure for the end of 2025.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 6 sources
$24Maverage yearly funding gap for tax-supported repairs and replacement, 2025 to 2034 (city's 2026 budget book); backlog of $327 million
The city's 2026 budget book says tax-supported services (roads, parks, community centres, libraries, fire stations) need about $60 million a year in repairs and replacement over 2025 to 2034, and that about $36 million a year is projected to be available, a gap of $24 million a year. It also reports a backlog of deferred work of $327 million. The city calls the backlog manageable today and says more than 85 per cent of its assets are in good or very good condition. It points to a yearly "infrastructure levy" on tax bills ($15 million in 2026). We did not find a plan in the documents we opened that shows how the yearly gap will be closed.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
5.07%projected 2027 city tax rate increase (3.57% operations, 1.50% infrastructure levy), against 3.46% in 2026
The city's 2026 budget book projects the city's tax rate increase for the next three years: 3.46% in 2026 (1.96% for operations and 1.50% for the infrastructure levy), then 5.07% in 2027, 4.37% in 2028 and 3.98% in 2029. The 2027 jump is in the operations part (1.96% to 3.57%). The 2026 budget itself held operations down, partly because its growth and service line was a reduction of $0.97 million. Only about 28 per cent of a Richmond Hill tax bill goes to the city; the rest goes to York Region and the schools.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
6.1%city water and wastewater rate increase effective April 1, 2026, against a 3.3% York Region wholesale increase
The city buys water from York Region and sells it to residents. Its budget book prints the city's combined water and wastewater rate: $5.2629 per cubic metre in 2024 (up 4.00%), $5.6215 in 2025 (up 6.80%) and $5.9629 in 2026 (up 6.10%). The Region's wholesale increase for 2026 is printed as 3.3%. The city says its rates follow a 2024 Water and Wastewater Financial Plan that sets aside money for future pipe replacement, and the 2026 budget moves $11.7 million more into a watermain reserve fund. The city's 2025 annual report also says the Water and Wastewater Fund ended 2025 in deficit because Region water purchases rose more than water revenue.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
$55,836,0002025 annual surplus, against a restated budget deficit of $28,282,000
The audited statements compare 2025 actual results with a "restated" budget. The restated budget expected a deficit of $28,282,000. The actual result was a surplus of $55,836,000. Expenses came in at $365,653,000 against a budget of $426,494,000, and revenue at $421,489,000 against $398,212,000. The city explains that the budget is restated from the council-approved budget, and that some items (such as contributed assets and unrealized investment gains) are not budgeted the same way. We did not find a line-by-line bridge from the council-approved budget to the restated one beyond four adjustments, so the large gaps in lines like recreation and environmental services are not explained in the documents we opened.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$321,700added to the 2025 operating budget through Mayoral Decision 21-24 for the city's IT security program
The province gave Richmond Hill's mayor extra powers on July 1, 2023. On July 4, 2023 the mayor delegated three of them: the power to appoint a city manager (to council), the power to set the staff structure (to the city manager) and the powers over committees (to council). The power to propose the budget is not one the mayor may delegate (the city's page marks only the other three with an asterisk). The decisions the city lists are mostly written approvals of by-laws and the yearly budget proposals. One decision, 21-24 (November 5, 2024), directed staff to add $200,000 in the 2025 capital budget, $100,000 in the 2025 operating budget and three security analyst positions (two in 2025, one in 2026), "as described in Confidential Staff Report SRCFS.24.057". The mayor's 2025 budget decision includes "$321,700" for this. We did not find a public description of what the spending buys.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 6 sources
3 meetingsApril 1, April 22 and May 14, 2020 meetings in which the Ombudsman found the public could not observe all or part of the meeting
The Ombudsman is Richmond Hill's closed meeting investigator. In March 2021 his report on five meetings held in 2019 and 2020 found that council did not break the rules when it discussed a planning matter in closed session, but that "the public was denied the ability to observe all or part of the electronic meetings held by council on April 1, April 22, and May 14, 2020, in contravention of the Act." He made four recommendations, including changes to the procedure by-law. Council said it generally accepted the findings and that any failure was unintentional and came from a rushed move to electronic meetings. The city's 2023 procedure by-law now says a meeting that cannot be livestreamed is delayed until it can be. We did not find the council resolution the Ombudsman said should state how council would address his report.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
1 formal complaintreported on in the Integrity Commissioner's annual report to council, September 24, 2025
At its meeting on September 24, 2025 council received the Integrity Commissioner's annual report. The minutes say she had received three informal complaints, all dismissed, and reported on one formal complaint, an investigation of Regional and Local Councillor Joe DiPaola (complaint number 122024, report dated July 7, 2025). Council received both reports by a recorded vote of 9 to 0 and directed staff to prepare a draft "Council Office staffing and access policy". The minutes do not state the finding. The investigation report is an agenda attachment on the city's meeting site, which blocked our automated downloads, so we could not read it and do not say what it found.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$61,501.81one councillor's total for January to June 2026, against $2,240.92 to $23,119.27 for the other eight members
The city posts each member's expense report every quarter. The reports for January 1 to June 30, 2026 (posted August 31, 2026) use the same layout for all nine members. Regional and Local Councillor Joe DiPaola's total is $61,501.81, including a single entry of $22,661.55 on May 25, 2026 described as "Advertising and Communication". The other members' totals are $2,240.92 (Ward 1) to $23,119.27 (Deputy Mayor Godwin Chan). The reports do not say what each entry bought. We could not open the city's Member of Council Expense Policy, so we do not know the yearly limit each member has.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 5 sources
$142,502,000held in a pooled equity fund at the end of 2025, up from $104,901,000
The audited statements show portfolio investments of $626,761,000 at the end of 2025 (up from $557,503,000). Of that, $185,118,000 is recorded at market value, including $142,502,000 in a pooled equity fund (up from $104,901,000 a year earlier) and $42,616,000 in principal protected notes. The rest, $441,643,000, is held at cost in deposits, bonds and bond funds. The city's annual report says its investment policy puts capital preservation and legal compliance first. The unrealized gain on market-value holdings was $11,412,000 in 2025.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 2 sources
Richmond Hill spent about $111 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar city spent $0. None of the 6 similar places spent more.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 4 sources
Where your tax bill goes
A property tax bill in Richmond Hill pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the city, and that part is what Richmond Hill council controls.
Tax bill split: Richmond Hill 26%, York Region 48%, Schools 26%
$584Mraised in 2025
Richmond Hill26%
York Region48%
Schools26%
How Richmond Hill's share of the bill compares with similar places
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