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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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

Your town, in plain words

How Shuniah uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Shuniah's budget, taxes and council decisions. A rural municipality next to Thunder Bay, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.

Property tax raised in 2025$7.4Mall property in Shuniah81% Town19% SchoolsSee where your tax bill goes →
Town spending, 2025$7.3MAbout $2,709 per household, up 6.7% from 2024.See the money →
Property tax change+4.3%Shuniah's own property tax came to $6.0M in 2025, against $5.8M in 2024.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Police, fire and safety$1.5M · 20%
Roads and snow$1.5M · 20%
Running the town office$1.3M · 18%
Social services$1.1M · 15%
Show all 8 servicesShow fewer
Health$883K · 12%
Water, sewers and garbage$432K · 6%
Planning and business$376K · 5%
Parks, arena and library$255K · 3%

Day-to-day spending in 2025, from Shuniah's report to the Province.

A fair comparisonHow does Shuniah compare?Among 11 similar Ontario towns, Shuniah's day-to-day spending per household is on the low side.Shuniah is here · 1 of 11, lowest to highestCompare Shuniah →

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 6 questions
Worth askingRising costs

Why has planning legal spending run well over budget two years in a row?

$184,889spent on planning legal costs in 2025, against a budget of $150,000

The Municipality budgets money for legal costs in its planning department. In both 2024 and 2025 it spent more than it planned, in 2024 by more than three times. For 2026 it has budgeted $150,000 again, the same as 2025. Consulting for planning applications also ran over in 2025.

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

Worth askingRising costs

Why is the ambulance bill going up by almost a quarter in 2026?

23.3%increase in the 2026 budget for ambulance services over the 2025 budget

The budget line "Ambulance Services" was $700,000 in 2025, ended the year at $804,901, and is budgeted at $862,752 for 2026. We did not find the Municipality's own explanation in the budget.

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

Worth askingMoney health

Is Shuniah ready for both of its landfills to close in 2028?

$956,593of closure and care costs the 2025 statements expect to be spent in 2028 (before inflation is removed)

The 2025 statements say the McTavish and MacGregor landfills are both expected to reach capacity and close in 2028. A year earlier the MacGregor site was expected to close in 2029. The Municipality has set aside a landfill reserve fund, and the cost it expects in 2028 has grown from $280,815 to $956,593.

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

Good to knowMoney health

How much of the yearly budget depends on drawing down reserves?

$943,321planned to come from reserves in the 2026 budget (9.8% of revenue and transfers)

A reserve is money set aside for a later need. The 2026 budget pays for about one dollar in ten of its spending by taking $943,321 from reserves. The 2025 budget planned to take $1,391,677 but the year ended with $735,504 taken. Over 2025 the "working" reserve fell by almost half, though the reserve funds as a whole grew.

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

Show 2 more questionsShow fewer
Good to knowSpending level

Why was less than half of the 2025 roads capital budget spent?

$670,204actually spent on roads capital in 2025, against a budget of $1,348,300

Capital spending is for things that last, such as trucks and road resurfacing. The 2025 budget for roads capital was $1,348,300 and the year ended with $670,204 spent. The federal gas tax money planned for roads was $400,000 and $50,060 was used.

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

Good to knowOpenness

Why does the tax increase look larger than the budget's own headline number?

4.16%increase in municipal tax revenue in the 2026 budget

The 2026 budget says the property tax increase net of growth is 3.44%. It also says the town's tax revenue will rise by about 4.16% because the number of properties and their value barely grew (0.65%). The town explains the gap itself, so this is context, not a gap in the books.

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

Where your tax bill goes

A property tax bill in Shuniah pays for the town and schools. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Shuniah council controls.

Tax bill split: Shuniah 81%, Schools 19%
$7.4Mraised in 2025
  • Shuniah81%
  • Schools19%

  • 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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