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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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.
Questions · 6 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Shuniah's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 10 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$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
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
$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
$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
$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
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
$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.
Why it matters
Legal bills are paid from the property tax. If the budget keeps being set below what is spent, the real cost is hidden until after the year ends.
It could be because…
A few large land-use disputes or appeals, where the Municipality has to pay lawyers whether it wants to or not.
Legal advice for the new comprehensive zoning by-law and for development applications.
A cost that is hard to predict from year to year, so the budget is a best guess.
Questions you could ask
What matters were the legal costs for in 2024 and 2025, and how much of the cost was passed on to applicants?
Why was the 2025 budget set at $150,000 if 2024 came in at $212,260, and how was the 2026 amount chosen?
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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
In the 2025 budget, the line "Planning - Legal" shows a 2024 budget of 60,000 and a 2024 actual of 212,260. The 2025 budget for the line was 150,000.
In the 2026 budget, the same line shows a 2025 budget of 150,000, a 2025 actual of 184,889 and a 2026 budget of 150,000. The line "Planning - Consulting - Applications" shows a 2025 budget of 15,000, a 2025 actual of 51,122 and a 2026 budget of 50,000.
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.
Why it matters
Ambulance service is paid for by the property tax. A jump of this size is a large part of the 2026 increase in spending on operations.
It could be because…
A larger share of the cost of a service run by someone else, set outside the Municipality, based on how many calls or how many people.
Higher wages, fuel and supply costs for the service.
A one-time catch-up for an earlier year.
Questions you could ask
Who sets the amount Shuniah pays for ambulance service, and what was the reason for the 2026 increase?
Why did 2025 end $104,901 above budget (worked out by us from 804,901 less 700,000), and was council told during the 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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The 2026 budget summary line "Ambulance Services" shows 700,000 for the 2025 budget, 804,901 for the 2025 actual and 862,752 for the 2026 budget, a change of 162,752 (23.3%).
FINAL Budget 2026 v15 · PDF page 2 (budget summary) and PDF page 16, account 1-52-7840
In the 2025 budget the same line shows a 2024 budget of 673,200, a 2024 actual of 576,027 and a 2025 budget of 700,000.
$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.
Why it matters
Closing a landfill means paying for sealing it and watching it for 25 years, and it also means residents need somewhere else to take their waste.
It could be because…
Normal updating: the audited estimate is revised each year as engineers and managers learn more.
Waste arriving faster than expected, or a better measurement of the space left.
A plan, not shown in the budget, to expand a site or send waste elsewhere.
Questions you could ask
What is the plan for residents' waste once both sites close in 2028, and what will it cost each year?
Why did the MacGregor closing date move from 2029 to 2028, and does the landfill reserve fund cover the costs expected in 2028?
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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 6 of the 2025 statements says the McTavish site has 3,189 cubic metres left (8% of the total) and the MacGregor site 16,393 cubic metres (9%). Both open sites are "expected to close when it reaches its capacity in 2028". The liability for these closures is $1,257,172. The note lists expected spending of $956,593 in 2028, $41,634 in 2029 and $1,759,087 in total.
Note 6 of the 2024 statements said the MacGregor site was expected to close in 2029, and listed expected spending of 280,815 in 2028, 649,974 in 2029 and 1,728,787 in total.
$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.
Why it matters
Reserves can only be spent once. If ordinary spending relies on them each year, taxes may have to rise later to replace them.
It could be because…
Reserves built up for roads and trucks being used for the roads and trucks they were saved for, which is what they are for.
Capital projects planned for 2025 that were not finished, so less was drawn than budgeted.
Questions you could ask
Which reserves are planned to be drawn in 2026, and what is the plan to rebuild the working reserve?
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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The 2026 budget summary line "Transfer from Reserves" shows 1,391,677 for the 2025 budget, 735,504 for the 2025 actual and 943,321 for the 2026 budget. The summary of revenue sources lists "Transfers from Reserves 943,321 9.8%".
FINAL Budget 2026 v15 · PDF page 2, Budget Summary and Revenues, Financing and Transfers
Schedule 1 of the 2025 statements shows the reserve "For working" at 353,526 (668,722 a year earlier), and total reserves at 1,079,104 (1,397,324 a year earlier). Total reserve funds were 10,442,945 (9,725,314 a year earlier).
$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.
Why it matters
Roads are one of the largest costs for a rural municipality. Unspent capital money may be carried to later years, or may mean work was delayed.
It could be because…
Projects delayed by weather, contractor availability or truck delivery times and finished in 2026.
Lower tender prices than the estimate.
Gas tax money only counted as used when the work is done.
Questions you could ask
Which 2025 roads projects were not finished, and are they in the 2026 budget or paid from carried-forward money?
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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The 2026 budget summary line "Capital - Roads Dept" shows 1,348,300 for the 2025 budget, 670,204 for the 2025 actual and 913,150 for the 2026 budget. The line "Federal Gas Tax - Roads" shows 400,000 for the 2025 budget, 50,060 for the 2025 actual and 125,000 for 2026.
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.
Why it matters
A resident reading only one of the numbers may think taxes are rising by a different amount than they are.
It could be because…
Different ways of counting: one is the rate on existing properties, the other is the total tax collected.
Questions you could ask
Could the budget print one plain number for the change in the tax bill on a typical home, with the others explained beside it?
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 Shuniah?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The budget says: "The Municipal Budget for 2026 includes a property tax increase net of growth of 3.44%". It also says: "Due to minimal change in property assessment the municipal tax revenue will increase by approximately 4.16%." The combination of the "0.65% assessment increase" and the 4.16% revenue increase "gives a net increase in taxes of 3.51%."
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