Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Smooth Rock Falls' budget, taxes and council decisions. A small bilingual town in northern Ontario, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
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Questions worth asking
Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.
+8%town property tax, 2024 to 2025
In 2025, Smooth Rock Falls collected $246K more in its own property tax than in 2024. That is a 8% jump, while prices went up about 2.1%. Only 2 of 30 similar towns raised theirs by more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
$807per home on council, 2025
Smooth Rock Falls spent about $807 per home on council in 2025. The typical similar town spent $105. None of the 30 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$10,430per home on long-term debt, 2025
Smooth Rock Falls spent about $10,430 per home on long-term debt in 2025. The typical similar town spent $788. None of the 30 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$201,326gap between the reserves the 2026 budget starts 2025 with and the audited end-of-2024 total (worked out by us)
A reserve is money a council sets aside for a later purpose. The audited 2024 statements show the Town's reserves ending 2024 at $1,583,065, after the "Working Funds" reserve went from $60,271 to a negative $141,055. The 2026 budget's capital plan says the reserves available at the start of 2025 were $1,784,391, which is the figure the statements give for the end of 2023. The two documents do not line up, and the budget gives no reason.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$3,532,262estimated landfill closing and care obligation at December 31, 2024, against a $398,406 landfill reserve
The Town must close its landfill and look after it for years afterward. The audited statements count the estimated cost as a debt, called an asset retirement obligation. In 2024 the landfill part rose from $2,567,176 to $3,532,262, an "inflationary increase" of $965,086. That add-on turned a $900,334 surplus before the add-on into an annual deficit of $74,047. The reserve set aside for the landfill is $398,406.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$649,776yearly debt repayment in the 2026 budget, about 20% of the $3,209,054 levy (worked out by us)
The 2026 budget says the Town's debt after 2025 year-end is $7,223,763, and that its debt payments are $649,776 a year. Next to a 2026 tax levy of $3,209,054, that is about 20% of the levy (worked out by us). The Town borrowed a further $3,208,500 in 2024 for main street work, at 4.69% and due in 2054. The capital plan also lists more large projects that rely on grants.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$54,604legal fees in 2024 against a budget of $35,320 (over by $19,284, worked out by us)
In the administration budget, legal fees were $54,604 in 2024 against a budget of $35,320. The audit line was $16,282 in 2024, $25,000 in the 2025 budget, and is $39,000 in the 2026 budget, with the note "Based on new contract". The 2026 legal fees budget is $44,460.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$360,000reserve for seniors' housing; no total project cost or loan amount found
The Town is developing seniors' housing. The 2026 capital plan says a non-profit housing corporation would take out the project loan with "the town guaranteeing the loan". The audited 2024 statements say the Town counts none of its costs so far as money owed back to it, because the timing and amount cannot be estimated. A $360,000 reserve is set aside for it. We did not find a total cost or a loan amount in the documents we read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$1.7Min savings at the end of 2025
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Smooth Rock Falls had $1.7M saved at the end of 2025, down from $3.4M in 2019. That is 34% of one year's spending. Only 4 of 30 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$890,077Pipeline tax class, 2025 amount levied, of $3,054,067 (about 29%, worked out by us)
In the 2025 amounts levied, the Pipeline class paid $890,077 of the $3,054,067 total, about 29% (worked out by us). The 2026 budget carries it as $933,691. Residential property paid $1,156,354. This is context, not a problem: it shows how much one kind of property carries.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$142,271what is left of the gap after taking out amortization (worked out by us)
The statements show 2024 expenses of $6,921,447 against a budget of $5,028,404. Most of the gap is not overspending. The statements say the budget was not prepared on the same basis as the actual results, and amortization of $1,750,772 (the yearly wear on buildings, roads and equipment) is not in a budget like this. Taking that out leaves $5,170,675, which is $142,271 above the budget (worked out by us).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
30 dayspay suspension the Integrity Commissioner recommended
The Town's Integrity Commissioner, an outside investigator who looks into complaints about how members of council behave, reported to Council on November 18, 2024. The report found that Mayor Patrick Roberts broke parts of the Code of Conduct and the council procedure by-law at the July 15, 2024 open meeting. It found no conflict of interest. It recommended a 30-day suspension of his pay and more training for Council and staff. We did not find in the documents we read what Council decided.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
A property tax bill in Smooth Rock Falls pays for the town and schools. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Smooth Rock Falls council controls.
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Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.
We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
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