Questions · 11 so far
We read Ryerson's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 51 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
$374per home on council, 2024
Ryerson spent about $374 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $114. Only 4 of 51 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$3,634,901the contract price of the new fire hall, plus HST, shared by three municipalities
Ryerson, Armour and Burk's Falls run one fire department together, and its notes split the yearly costs 28.60%, 47.84% and 23.56%. The three councils have hired a builder for a new fire hall at $3,634,901 plus HST (the Harmonized Sales Tax). By the end of 2025 only $293,000 of work was done. If the hall were split the same way as the yearly costs, Ryerson's share would be about $856,383 before HST (worked out by us; the papers we read do not say how the hall is split). The fire department itself holds $3,072 in reserves and had $(211,761) of capital spending not yet paid for at the end of 2025. The Township's own fire reserve is $135,052 and its long-term debt is down to $84,571. We did not find where council has said how Ryerson's share will be paid.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources
$191,263owed by the fire department to the Township of Ryerson at December 31, 2025, with no repayment terms
The fire department's statements list what it owed to, or was owed by, each of its three municipalities. Only Ryerson appears. At the end of 2025 the department owed Ryerson $191,263, and the note says these amounts have no interest and no set repayment terms. A year earlier Ryerson owed the department $16,223. In the same year Ryerson's yearly payment to the department was $116,713 against a budget of $127,818. The department's unpaid bills grew from $11,556 to $207,475.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
Council's April 14, 2026 minutes say council adopted the "2026 Budget Report." The budget page on the Township's website holds the asset management plan and related files, not a 2026 budget. The only posted document we found that says it adopts the budget is the tax rates by-law, which carries a short table of totals and no line-by-line detail. The draft budgets on the meetings page are pictures of pages that cannot be read as text.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
An asset management plan lists a town's roads, buildings and equipment, what they will cost to replace, and how the town will pay. The plan on the Township's website is dated October 2021. It says an update covering all assets, including shared services, is due by July 1, 2024 and one adding target service levels and a funding plan by July 1, 2025. The Township's own page says a plan "developed in 2016 continues to be in effect." We did not find an updated plan.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+11%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, Ryerson collected $250K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 11% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 9 of 51 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 6% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 1.9%.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
The Township's unpaid bills and accrued costs went from $279,747 to $659,707 during 2025, a rise of $379,960 (worked out by us). Its cash rose in the same year. The statements do not say what the extra bills were for. The shared fire department's unpaid bills also rose a lot, and the Township's share of them is part of this number.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
The auditor signed the 2025 statements on September 22, 2026, about nine months after the year ended. The 2024 statements were signed on September 18, 2025 by a different audit firm, so the late-September timing has now happened two years running. The 2025 statements were posted and carry a clean opinion.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
The statements show an annual surplus of $711,848 against a budget of $520,392, a difference of $191,456 (worked out by us). Roads and winter control spent $1,159,158 against a budget of $1,323,314, which is $164,156 less (worked out by us). Government transfers came in at $596,582 against a budget of $692,065. The adopted budget planned to use $414,014 of the general operating surplus. This "surplus" is an accounting figure that includes money spent on capital and moved into reserves, not cash left over.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
In the April 14, 2026 minutes, one tender is recorded as $27,000.00 plus HST for a total of $35,510.00. At the 13 per cent HST rate the other tenders in the same minutes use, $27,000.00 plus HST would be $30,510.00 (worked out by us). This is a small purchase and the likeliest answer is a typing slip in the minutes.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$376per home on snow ploughing, 2024
Ryerson spent about $376 per home on snow ploughing in 2024. The typical similar town spent $98. Only 3 of 51 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$374per home on council, 2024
Ryerson spent about $374 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $114. Only 4 of 51 similar towns spent more.
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Council per home: Ryerson $374; typical similar town $114; ranked 5th highest of 52.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 51 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy
$3,634,901the contract price of the new fire hall, plus HST, shared by three municipalities
Ryerson, Armour and Burk's Falls run one fire department together, and its notes split the yearly costs 28.60%, 47.84% and 23.56%. The three councils have hired a builder for a new fire hall at $3,634,901 plus HST (the Harmonized Sales Tax). By the end of 2025 only $293,000 of work was done. If the hall were split the same way as the yearly costs, Ryerson's share would be about $856,383 before HST (worked out by us; the papers we read do not say how the hall is split). The fire department itself holds $3,072 in reserves and had $(211,761) of capital spending not yet paid for at the end of 2025. The Township's own fire reserve is $135,052 and its long-term debt is down to $84,571. We did not find where council has said how Ryerson's share will be paid.
A reserve is savings set aside for a future need. A share this size is several times the Township's own fire reserve (worked out by us). Residents should be able to see whether it will come from reserves, grants, or new borrowing, and what that means for taxes.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 13 of the Township's statements: "in 2025 the organization engaged Domm Construction Ltd. to construct a new fire hall at a contracted price of $3,634,901 plus HST. To the end of the year, $293,000 of work was completed. The balance of the contract is expected to be completed in 2026."
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 13, Contractual obligations, PDF page 22
The fire department is a joint committee of the three municipalities, "who contribute towards the organization in the following proportions: Burk's Falls - 28.60%; Armour - 47.84%; Ryerson - 23.56%."
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 1, opening paragraph, PDF page 9
The fire department's own accumulated surplus note lists Reserves of $3,072 and Unfinanced capital expenditures of (211,761) at the end of 2025.
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 8, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 17
The Township's "Fire" reserve line shows 83,311 at the start of 2025, 51,741 added during the year, and 135,052 at the end.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 15, Accumulated surplus, reserves and reserve funds, PDF page 24
The Township's long-term debt (debentures, which are loans repaid over time) was $84,571 at the end of 2025, down from $169,171 a year earlier.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 9, Long-term debt, PDF pages 16 to 17
Resolution R-36-26 approves "the 2026 net fire budget in the amount of $649,876, with Ryerson's share to be $153,111." The resolution does not mention the new fire hall.
Township of Ryerson, council minutes, March 10, 2026 · Item 5.3, resolution R-36-26, PDF page 2
$191,263owed by the fire department to the Township of Ryerson at December 31, 2025, with no repayment terms
The fire department's statements list what it owed to, or was owed by, each of its three municipalities. Only Ryerson appears. At the end of 2025 the department owed Ryerson $191,263, and the note says these amounts have no interest and no set repayment terms. A year earlier Ryerson owed the department $16,223. In the same year Ryerson's yearly payment to the department was $116,713 against a budget of $127,818. The department's unpaid bills grew from $11,556 to $207,475.
When one council's treasury pays a shared department's bills, that is in effect a loan to the other two councils. Residents of each town should be able to see how much is owed, when it will be repaid, and who is carrying the cost while the new fire hall is built.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 10, Related party transactions: "At the end of the year, amounts due from (to) contributing municipalities are as follows: Township of Ryerson (191,263) 16,223." The note adds: "These amounts are non interest bearing, with no specific terms of repayment."
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 10, Related party transactions, PDF page 18
The statement of financial position shows Accounts payable and accrued liabilities of 207,475 at the end of 2025 and 11,556 a year earlier.
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 5
Municipal contributions, Township of Ryerson: budget 127,818, actual 2025 116,713, actual 2024 294,492.
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 6
Council's April 14, 2026 minutes say council adopted the "2026 Budget Report." The budget page on the Township's website holds the asset management plan and related files, not a 2026 budget. The only posted document we found that says it adopts the budget is the tax rates by-law, which carries a short table of totals and no line-by-line detail. The draft budgets on the meetings page are pictures of pages that cannot be read as text.
The budget is the plan for what residents' taxes will buy. In a year with a fire hall to pay for, residents should be able to read the adopted budget without visiting the office.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Resolution R-72-26: "Be it resolved that Ryerson Township Council adopt the 2026 Budget Report, excluding expenses as per Ontario regulations 284/09."
Township of Ryerson, council minutes, April 14, 2026 · Item 5, Treasurer report, resolution R-72-26, PDF page 3
By-law 19-26, section 1(a), begins: "That the 2026 municipal budget be adopted in the following amounts:" and gives a short table of totals, with no line-by-line budget.
Township of Ryerson, By-law 19-26 · Section 1(a), PDF page 1
The Treasury budget page lists only "Asset Management Plan- Township of Ryerson" and "Strategic Asset Management Policy" and related capital asset files. It does not list a 2026 budget.
Township of Ryerson, Asset Management page (budget page) · page text, read October 7, 2026
An asset management plan lists a town's roads, buildings and equipment, what they will cost to replace, and how the town will pay. The plan on the Township's website is dated October 2021. It says an update covering all assets, including shared services, is due by July 1, 2024 and one adding target service levels and a funding plan by July 1, 2025. The Township's own page says a plan "developed in 2016 continues to be in effect." We did not find an updated plan.
Roads and the fire hall are the Township's biggest costs. An up-to-date plan is how residents can see whether the Township is saving enough to replace what it owns.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The Treasury page on asset management says municipalities "are required to prepare an updated Asset Management Plan governing all assets on or before July 1, 2024," and: "The Asset Management Plan developed in 2016 continues to be in effect."
Township of Ryerson, Asset Management page · page text, read October 7, 2026
The plan posted there is titled "Asset Management Plan, Township of Ryerson" and dated October 2021.
Asset Management Plan, Township of Ryerson (October 2021) · cover page, PDF page 1
The plan's table of provincial deadlines lists July 1, 2024 (update the plan for core assets) and July 1, 2025 (update for all assets, with proposed service levels, a lifecycle strategy, a financial strategy and a plan for funding shortfalls).
Asset Management Plan, Township of Ryerson (October 2021) · Executive summary, table of completion dates, PDF page 6
The plan says: "The Township will be required to include information on all shared service assets in the Plan by July 1, 2024."
Asset Management Plan, Township of Ryerson (October 2021) · Section 5.2, Expenditures, PDF page 62
+11%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, Ryerson collected $250K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 11% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 9 of 51 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 6% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 1.9%.
| Year | Town property tax |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $2.0M |
| 2020 | $2.1M |
| 2021 | $2.1M |
| 2022 | $2.2M |
| 2023 | $2.3M |
| 2024 | $2.6M |
A big one-year jump usually means something changed: a new cost, a service that grew, savings being rebuilt, or a problem from earlier years being paid for now. Residents should be able to see exactly which. Spread across every home, it is about $451 more each year.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Town property tax: $2,345,527 in 2023, $2,595,705 in 2024.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Typical increase among 51 similar Ontario towns: 6.4%. Ryerson ranks 10th highest.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 51 similar municipalities · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Residential tax rate (town share): 1.217% in 2023, 1.287% in 2024. Residential assessment: $187M to $190M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 22, residential (RT) · archived copy
Prices (inflation) rose 2.4% over the same year.
The Township's unpaid bills and accrued costs went from $279,747 to $659,707 during 2025, a rise of $379,960 (worked out by us). Its cash rose in the same year. The statements do not say what the extra bills were for. The shared fire department's unpaid bills also rose a lot, and the Township's share of them is part of this number.
A jump in unpaid bills can be ordinary timing, but it is worth knowing whether it is for road work, the fire hall or something else.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of financial position: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities of 659,707 at the end of 2025 and 279,747 a year earlier. Cash was $3,514,305 and $2,924,078.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 5
The fire department's accounts payable and accrued liabilities were 207,475 at the end of 2025 and 11,556 a year earlier.
Burk's Falls and District Fire Department, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 5
The auditor signed the 2025 statements on September 22, 2026, about nine months after the year ended. The 2024 statements were signed on September 18, 2025 by a different audit firm, so the late-September timing has now happened two years running. The 2025 statements were posted and carry a clean opinion.
Council and residents can only judge the year once the statements are done. A change of auditors and joint boards that report late can both slow this down.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The auditor's report on the 2025 statements is signed at North Bay with the date September 22, 2026, and gives an opinion that the statements "present fairly, in all material respects" the Township's position.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Independent Auditor's Report, PDF pages 3 to 4
Under "Other matter," the report says the 2024 statements "were audited by another auditor who expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements on September 18, 2025."
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Independent Auditor's Report, Other matter, PDF page 3
The 2024 auditor's report is signed at Sudbury with the date September 18, 2025.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · Independent Auditor's Report, PDF page 6
The statements show an annual surplus of $711,848 against a budget of $520,392, a difference of $191,456 (worked out by us). Roads and winter control spent $1,159,158 against a budget of $1,323,314, which is $164,156 less (worked out by us). Government transfers came in at $596,582 against a budget of $692,065. The adopted budget planned to use $414,014 of the general operating surplus. This "surplus" is an accounting figure that includes money spent on capital and moved into reserves, not cash left over.
A plan that is regularly beaten by a wide margin can mean taxes are set higher than needed. It is worth knowing which projects slipped to the next year.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of operations: ANNUAL SURPLUS budget 520,392, actual 2025 711,848. Transportation services budget 1,323,314, actual 1,159,158. Government transfers budget 692,065, actual 596,582.
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Consolidated Statements of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 6
Note 17, Budget figures, reconciling the adopted and reported budgets, starts with "Decrease in general municipal operating surplus $ (414,014)" and "Increase in reserves and reserve funds 659,929."
Township of Ryerson, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 17, Budget figures, PDF page 28
In the April 14, 2026 minutes, one tender is recorded as $27,000.00 plus HST for a total of $35,510.00. At the 13 per cent HST rate the other tenders in the same minutes use, $27,000.00 plus HST would be $30,510.00 (worked out by us). This is a small purchase and the likeliest answer is a typing slip in the minutes.
Minutes are the legal record of what council approved. A small slip is easy to fix and shows whether minutes are checked before they are posted.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Resolution R-67-26: council accepts Tender 2026-02 to supply and deliver crushed granite from [the supplier] "in the amount of $27,000.00 plus HST for a total of $35,510.00."
Township of Ryerson, council minutes, April 14, 2026 · Item 5, Treasurer report, resolution R-67-26, PDF page 2
In the same minutes, Resolution R-66-26 records a demolition tender "in the amount of $10,000.00 plus HST for a total of $11,300.00," which is the price plus 13 per cent.
Township of Ryerson, council minutes, April 14, 2026 · Item 5, Treasurer report, resolution R-66-26, PDF page 2
$376per home on snow ploughing, 2024
Ryerson spent about $376 per home on snow ploughing in 2024. The typical similar town spent $98. Only 3 of 51 similar towns spent more.
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
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 Ryerson? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Snow ploughing per home: Ryerson $376; typical similar town $98; ranked 4th highest of 52.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 51 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy