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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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

Council

Who decides, and how you can hold them to account

Sarnia is run by an elected council of 9 people. They set the budget, approve big purchases and hire the senior staff who run the city day to day.

Current council

Names and official email addresses from the city's council page. None of the members lists a public social media account there.

How open is Sarnia?

What a resident can find online without asking, as of October 5, 2026.

  • Yes
    Budgets posted online

    The 2026 approved budget book, the proposed 2026 budget with supplementary reports, and approved budgets back to 2009 are posted on the City's budget pages. Source

  • Yes
    Audited financial statements

    The 2025 statements carry a clean opinion ("present fairly") from BDO Canada LLP dated July 22, 2026. The 2024 statements have an opinion dated August 18, 2025. Statements are posted back to 2011, with a short yearly financial report and a yearly consultant's study. Source

  • Partly
    Council pay and expenses (s. 284)

    We did not find the yearly statement of council remuneration and expenses. The City posts a table of members' expenses (conferences, travel, banquet tickets) from November 2022, and says detailed documentation is available from the Clerk. Source

  • Yes
    Council attendance records

    Attendance records for council and committee meetings are posted for 2014 onward, with the newest files uploaded in 2026. Source

  • Unknown
    Meeting agendas and minutes

    Agendas and minutes are on the City's CivicWeb (iCompass) portal. The home page lists regular council meetings on May 25, June 22 and July 20, 2026. We did not read any minutes. Source

  • Unknown
    Integrity Commissioner and closed meeting reports

    We did not find reports from the Integrity Commissioner or a closed meeting investigator on the pages we read. Source

Where the city speaks for itself

Sarnia's official channels, as linked from its own website. Council members may also post on their own pages; we link only to official municipal channels.

  • City of Sarnia on YouTube

    The City links this YouTube channel from the footer of its website. We did not check whether council meeting videos are posted there.

  • Speak Up Sarnia

    The City's public engagement site, linked from its home page. The budget book reports 62.6k site visits and 1.1k new registered participants.

Ask for the records

Anyone can ask the city for its records under Ontario's Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). You do not have to say why. Here is how it works, and the wording for the records that would answer the questions on this site.

  1. Send the request in writing to the city clerk (the freedom of information coordinator), on the city’s form or in a letter, with the $5 application fee.
  2. Describe the records, not the answer you want. Dates, departments and the kind of record (a list, invoices, emails) make a request quicker and cheaper.
  3. The city has 45 business days to answer (the law changed in 2026; older guides say 30 days). It can charge for search time and copies, but must send an estimate first if the fees will be over $25.
  4. Some parts can be held back, such as legal advice or personal information about other people. The city must say which part of the law it relied on.
  5. If you are refused, or the fees seem too high, you can appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner within 30 business days of the city’s decision.

The city's request form (on its Forms page) · The law · Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

  • Maintenance records for the Progressive Auto Sales Arena, 2024 and 2025

    Building maintenance cost $935,497 in 2024 against a 2025 budget of $131,450. The invoices show what the work was. Related question: Why did the Progressive Auto Sales Arena cost $1,478,914 net in 2024 when the 2025 budget planned $470,234, and why are recreation costs well over budget?.

    Show the request wordingHide the wording
    Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the invoices, work orders and any staff report for building maintenance (account 5-02420), air conditioning and heating maintenance (5-02430) and electrical services (5-02423) at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena for 2024 and 2025.

  • 2025 year-end operating results by department

    The mid-year forecast showed a shortfall of $5,598,971. The year-end result is not in the audited statements. Related question: Why did Sarnia's own mid-year forecast for 2025 show a shortfall of $5,598,971, and how is the 2026 budget paying for it?.

    Show the request wordingHide the wording
    Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the 2025 year-end operating budget variance report by department (budget, forecast and actual), and any report to Council explaining the 2025 operating deficit referred to in the 2026 budget under account 6581 Operating Contingency (Fund Prior-Year Deficit).

  • The BACE project: staff reports and cost estimates

    The budget adds $4.1 million for BACE "pending further investigation" and plans a $4.1 million loan. Related question: Why did Council add $4.1 million for the BACE project to the 2026 budget while the budget still says it needs further investigation?.

    Show the request wordingHide the wording
    Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the staff reports, business case, cost estimates and any agreement with a partner or owner for the BACE Year-Round Campus or BACE Multi-Use Facility, and the Council resolutions of November 25, 2025 that gave tentative approval to the $4.1 million loan.

  • WSIB actuarial valuation and claim costs by department

    Claims in force rose from $5,983,400 to $13,812,600 and payments rose to $2,632,130. Related question: Why did Sarnia's workplace injury (WSIB) bill jump in 2025, and why does the 2026 budget take $2.5 million from the reserve for it?.

    Show the request wordingHide the wording
    Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I request the actuarial valuation of the City's WSIB liability as at December 31, 2025, and a summary of WSIB claim payments for 2023, 2024 and 2025 by department, with no names or personal information.

The wording is a starting point, not legal advice. Narrow the dates if the city says a request is too broad or too costly.

How to raise a concern

From the gentlest step to the most serious. Start at the top.

  1. Integrity Commissioner

    The City says Council has appointed an Integrity Commissioner to investigate Code of Conduct complaints, with informal and formal complaint procedures and affidavit forms. The page lists an email address for the Commissioner. We did not find any Integrity Commissioner reports on the pages we read.