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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Russell'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 Russell'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: $80.2M
Where the town's money came from in 2025.
Russell revenue by source, 2025
26%
17%
23%
27%
Property taxes$20.5M26%
Grants for specific projects$12.9M17%
Other towns and the county$3.3M4%
Fees people pay$17.7M23%
Other$21.2M27%
Everything else$2.3M3%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Property taxes
$20,513,254
26.3%
Grants for specific projects
$12,881,384
16.5%
Other towns and the county
$3,334,757
4.3%
Fees people pay
$17,727,831
22.7%
Other
$21,171,588
27.2%
Everything else
$2,329,142
3.0%
Total
$77,957,956
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.
Other towns and the county
Payments from neighbours for shared services.
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: $39.1M on services
Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the town recorded $6.7M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.
Russell spending by service, 2025
17%
19%
29%
11%
12%
Running the town office$3.6M9%
Police, fire and safety$6.6M17%
Roads and snow$7.6M19%
Water, sewers and garbage$11.2M29%
Social services$4.4M11%
Parks, arena and library$4.6M12%
Planning and business$1.1M3%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Running the town office
$3,593,804
9.2%
Police, fire and safety
$6,581,070
16.8%
Roads and snow
$7,614,753
19.5%
Water, sewers and garbage
$11,243,358
28.7%
Social services
$4,426,802
11.3%
Parks, arena and library
$4,551,614
11.6%
Planning and business
$1,134,294
2.9%
Total
$39,145,695
100%
Water, sewers and garbage
$11.2M
Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.
+55% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Water, sewers and garbage broken down
Water pipes$4.0M+29%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Garbage pickup$1.8M+296%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Water treatment$1.7M+29%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Sewer pipes$1.2M+54%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
The dump (landfill)$781K+273%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Other environment$703K
Other environmental costs.
Sewage treatment$646K+51%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Rural drainage$356K+3%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Water pipes
$4,024,073
+28.9%
Garbage pickup
$1,810,175
+295.9%
Water treatment
$1,724,604
+28.9%
Sewer pipes
$1,198,886
+54.4%
The dump (landfill)
$780,896
+273.0%
Other environment
$703,125
–
Sewage treatment
$645,554
+50.8%
Rural drainage
$356,045
+3.5%
Roads and snow
$7.6M
Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.
+125% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Roads and snow broken down
Paved roads$5.0M+1,521%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Roadsides and signs$1.4M+13%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Snow ploughing$404K−46%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Sidewalk snow$315K+411%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Street lights$241K+44%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Gravel roads$115K+115%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Bridges and culverts$108K+11%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Parking$15,391
Town parking lots and meters.
Public transit$1,707−100%
Buses.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Paved roads
$4,967,760
+1,520.9%
Roadsides and signs
$1,447,313
+12.9%
Snow ploughing
$403,879
−45.5%
Sidewalk snow
$315,059
+410.9%
Street lights
$240,964
+43.5%
Gravel roads
$114,511
+114.6%
Bridges and culverts
$108,169
+11.3%
Parking
$15,391
–
Public transit
$1,707
−99.7%
Police, fire and safety
$6.6M
Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.
+55% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Police, fire and safety broken down
Police (OPP contract)$2.5M+15%
What the town pays for policing.
Fire department$1.8M+177%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
Building permits$1.0M+61%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
By-law and animal control$1.0M+114%
Enforcing town rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Emergency planning$254K+306%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Police (OPP contract)
$2,492,980
+14.8%
Fire department
$1,789,663
+176.7%
Building permits
$1,032,834
+61.1%
By-law and animal control
$1,011,801
+114.1%
Emergency planning
$253,792
+306.0%
Parks, arena and library
$4.6M
Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.
+39% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Parks, arena and library broken down
Arena and buildings$2.3M+45%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Library$904K+30%
The public library.
Parks$536K+57%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Programs$505K+25%
Classes, camps and activities.
Other recreation$236K+31%
Other recreation costs.
Museums$21,298
Local museums.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Arena and buildings
$2,349,218
+45.1%
Library
$904,128
+30.1%
Parks
$535,827
+56.6%
Programs
$505,185
+25.3%
Other recreation
$235,958
+31.0%
Museums
$21,298
–
Social services
$4.4M
Help for people and families who need it, and child care.
+260% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Social services broken down
Child care$4.4M+260%
Daycare and early learning.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Child care
$4,426,802
+260.2%
Running the town office
$3.6M
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.
+65% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Running the town office broken down
Senior management$1.6M+49%
The top managers who run the town day to day.
Office and administration$1.2M+57%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the town hall. Towns share this cost out across other services.
Council$841K+131%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Senior management
$1,571,929
+48.6%
Office and administration
$1,181,336
+57.1%
Council
$840,539
+131.4%
Planning and business
$1.1M
Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to town.
+16% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)
Planning and business broken down
Planning and zoning$521K+51%
Deciding what can be built where.
New housing$354K
Helping new homes get built.
Farms and forests$130K−27%
Programs for farms and forests.
Business and tourism$129K−55%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Farm drainage loans$441
Loans to farmers for field drainage.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Planning and zoning
$521,374
+51.2%
New housing
$353,558
–
Farms and forests
$130,036
−27.2%
Business and tourism
$128,885
−55.4%
Farm drainage loans
$441
–
What the money bought
The same 2025 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.
Spending by type
Outside companies$16.3M
Work the town pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Staff pay and benefits$16.1M
Wages, benefits and pensions for town workers.
Supplies and utilities$5.4M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Interest on loans$540K
The extra money paid to lenders for money the town borrowed.
Money given to others$459K
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Rent and money costs$287K
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Outside companies
$16,313,475
Staff pay and benefits
$16,121,813
Supplies and utilities
$5,424,265
Interest on loans
$539,721
Money given to others
$459,037
Rent and money costs
$287,384
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
134.25
54.45
32.25
2020
134.13
55.19
31.5
2021
136.25
54.17
24.5
2022
131.31
67.06
40
2023
151.5
55.34
34
2024
188
79
41
2025
196.5
106
36
In 2023, full-time staff jumped from 131.31 to 151.5 while part-time dropped from 67.06 to 55.34. The total barely changed, so this looks like a change in how jobs were counted or set up, not a hiring spree. Staff pay rose only 24% that year.
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.
Money in and day-to-day spending by year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
$0$20M$40M$60M$80M$100M
$80.2M
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
2019
$33.6M
$22.6M
2020
$33.9M
$21.8M
2021
$45.1M
$24.4M
2022
$41.2M
$24.8M
2023
$47.6M
$29.8M
2024
$68.7M
$36.6M
2025
$80.2M
$39.1M
Town property tax
Up 66% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.
Town property tax by year
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20M$25M
$20.5M
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Town property tax
2019
$12.3M
2020
$13.5M
2021
$14.5M
2022
$15.6M
2023
$17M
2024
$18.5M
2025
$20.5M
Savings (reserves)
Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.
Reserves by year
$0$10M$20M$30M
$25.9M
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Savings
2019
$14.5M
2020
$12.6M
2021
$18.3M
2022
$2.9M
2023
$21.9M
2024
$24.8M
2025
$25.9M
What the town owes
Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.
Debt by year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
$0$10M$20M$30M$40M
$37.3M
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
2019
$17.4M
$0
2020
$15.2M
$0
2021
$14.4M
$0
2022
$13.6M
$0
2023
$12.8M
$0
2024
$15.9M
$0
2025
$37.3M
$0
Building new things
Spending on new or rebuilt roads, pipes, buildings and equipment, compared with how fast existing ones wear out.
Capital spending and wear by year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20M$25M
$19.6M
2019202020212022202320242025
Show as a table
Year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
2019
$6.3M
$4.3M
2020
$10.4M
$4.5M
2021
$12M
$4.8M
2022
$14.3M
$5.1M
2023
$15.7M
$6.1M
2024
$20.8M
$6.4M
2025
$19.6M
$6.7M
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.
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