Questions · 9 so far
We read South Stormont's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 44 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
+10%town property tax, 2024 to 2025
In 2025, South Stormont collected $960K more in its own property tax than in 2024. That is a 10% jump, while prices went up about 2.1%. Only 3 of 44 similar towns raised theirs by more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$12,148,597spent on capital assets in 2025, against a budget of $26,837,060
Capital spending is money for lasting things: roads, buildings, water plants. The 2025 budget planned $26,837,060 of it. The audited statements show $12,148,597 (worked out by us, a little under half). The budget also expected $14,775,470 in capital grants and $6,798,000 in new borrowing. The statements show $4,732,530 in capital grants and no new borrowing of that size. The Township's statements say its capital budgets are built project by project and a project can take more than one year. Its asset plan says it won a $21.9 million provincial grant toward two water and sewage plants. The statements do not list which projects were finished and which were pushed to later years.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$(318,553)roads reserve at December 31, 2025, down from $238,840
A reserve is money a township sets aside for a future purpose, like a savings account for roads or fire trucks. At the end of 2025 the roads reserve stood at $(318,553), a negative balance, down from $238,840 a year earlier. The fire reserve fell from $1,463,933 to $244,037, a drop of $1,219,896 (worked out by us). The water and wastewater reserve rose to $7,434,610. The Township's own financial strategy recommends a minimum balance for its capital reserves: $745,000 for tax-supported services and $1.0 million for water and sewer. That minimum is for the reserves added together, so it does not apply to the roads reserve alone. The statements do not say why the roads and fire balances moved.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
8.1% to 8.4%average yearly increase in taxes and water charges the Township's 2024 long-term plan calls for
The Township's 2024 long-term financial plan, written by consultants for Council, says that to pay for the work it lists, taxes and water and sewer charges need to rise by 8.1% to 8.4% a year on average over ten years. Its Table 5-1 puts the Township's property tax on a median home ($210,000 assessed value) at $1,177 in 2024 and $1,896 or $2,073 in 2033; water and sewer charges are counted separately. A 2025 water and sewer rate study recommends that the water rate in Long Sault and Ingleside rise from $1.63 to $1.77 per cubic metre in 2026, and that wastewater rates rise by 6.1% a year on average. Past budgets on the Township's page show tax rate increases of 3% (2022) and 5% (2023). We did not find the increases Council adopted for 2024, 2025 or 2026.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
13.9%share of the Township's own revenue that debt payments reach by 2033 in the long-term plan, up from 5%
At the end of 2025 the Township owed $6,295,782 on its loans. Its 2024 long-term plan expects new debt to pay for about 55% of its capital funding over ten years, with $61.9 million to $62.9 million of new borrowing for water and sewer work if the provincial water grant is received. The plan says debt payments would grow from 5% of the Township's own income to 13.9% by 2033. The 2025 budget expected $6,798,000 of new borrowing; the statements show none of that size (they show a $50,200 loan). Since then, the Township has been told it won a $21.9 million grant for two plants.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$2,576,591from land sales in 2024, against $147,472 in 2025
The Township sells land it owns, and the money is counted as revenue. In 2024 the statements show $2,576,591 from land sales, against a budget of $3,449,277. In 2025 the budget was $500,000 and the statements show $147,472. The Township's budget page says its revenue comes from taxes, grants, fees, reserves, investments and land sales. The land it holds for resale was $400,994 at the end of 2025, the same as the year before. We did not find which properties were sold, to whom, or why the 2024 figure was so large.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+95%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2025
South Stormont spent $1.4M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $2.8M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
$724,313net financial assets at December 31, 2025, down from $2,939,290
"Net financial assets" is what a town owns in cash and money owed to it, minus what it owes. At the end of 2025 that was $724,313, down from $2,939,290 a year earlier. Bills waiting to be paid ("accounts payable and accruals") rose from $5,038,155 to $7,824,081. A line in the statements called "Unfinanced capital outlay" was $(2,192,952), which means capital work has been paid for ahead of the money meant to cover it. The Township still held $15,133,038 in cash, of which $2,582,499 was restricted. The 2025 budget planned for net financial assets to end the year at $(4,445,937), so the actual result was better than planned.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
2parcels the Township says could be environmentally impacted, with no cost recorded
The notes to the 2025 statements say the Township has identified two parcels of land that are not being used, or only partly used, and "could be environmentally impacted". The notes say the cost of the environmental studies is unknown, and no liability has been recorded because the Township thinks it unlikely it will have to clean them up. The notes do not say where the parcels are. They also say the Township is involved in legal actions in the normal course of business and that its insurers are defending them. No amounts are given.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
+10%town property tax, 2024 to 2025
In 2025, South Stormont collected $960K more in its own property tax than in 2024. That is a 10% jump, while prices went up about 2.1%. Only 3 of 44 similar towns raised theirs by more.
| Year | Town property tax |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $7.7M |
| 2020 | $7.7M |
| 2021 | $8.1M |
| 2022 | $8.5M |
| 2023 | $8.9M |
| 2024 | $10.1M |
| 2025 | $11M |
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 $177 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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Town property tax: $10,053,301 in 2024, $11,012,980 in 2025.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Typical increase among 44 similar Ontario towns: 7.0%. South Stormont ranks 4th highest.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2025, 44 similar municipalities · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Prices (inflation) rose 2.1% over the same year.
$12,148,597spent on capital assets in 2025, against a budget of $26,837,060
Capital spending is money for lasting things: roads, buildings, water plants. The 2025 budget planned $26,837,060 of it. The audited statements show $12,148,597 (worked out by us, a little under half). The budget also expected $14,775,470 in capital grants and $6,798,000 in new borrowing. The statements show $4,732,530 in capital grants and no new borrowing of that size. The Township's statements say its capital budgets are built project by project and a project can take more than one year. Its asset plan says it won a $21.9 million provincial grant toward two water and sewage plants. The statements do not list which projects were finished and which were pushed to later years.
A budget is the promise made to residents about what will be built. When less than half is done in a year, residents may be waiting on projects they expected, and money set aside for them (including the taxes and water charges that pay for the Township's share) may be sitting unspent. A large unfinished plan can also mean costs rise while projects wait.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: 2025 capital projects: budget and actual, by project, with wording you can copy.
Statement of change in net financial assets, 2025: "Acquisition of tangible capital assets" budget (26,837,060), actual (12,148,597) (2024 actual (3,882,237)).
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 8 (Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets, page 3)
Statement of financial activities, 2025: "Capital grant revenue" budget 14,775,470, actual 4,732,530 (2024 actual 184,544).
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 7 (Statement of Financial Activities and Accumulated Surplus, page 2)
Note 12, 2025: "Proceeds on issuance of municipal debt" budget 6,798,000; the actual column shows a dash. Note 11 says: "The budgets established for capital, reserves and reserve funds are based on a project-oriented basis, the costs of which may be carried out over one or more years."
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 23, notes 11 and 12 (page 18)
Note 3, deferred revenue (grant money received but not yet spent): "Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund" 1,539,640 in 2025, with a dash for 2024.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 20, note 3 (page 15)
The asset management plan says the Township won $21.9 million of application-based grant funding from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund, meant to partly pay for $30 million of work on the Long Sault water treatment plant expansion and a new Ingleside wastewater treatment plant.
2025 Level of Service and Financial Strategy, Asset Management Plan · PDF page 63 (Grants, page 62 of 80)
$(318,553)roads reserve at December 31, 2025, down from $238,840
A reserve is money a township sets aside for a future purpose, like a savings account for roads or fire trucks. At the end of 2025 the roads reserve stood at $(318,553), a negative balance, down from $238,840 a year earlier. The fire reserve fell from $1,463,933 to $244,037, a drop of $1,219,896 (worked out by us). The water and wastewater reserve rose to $7,434,610. The Township's own financial strategy recommends a minimum balance for its capital reserves: $745,000 for tax-supported services and $1.0 million for water and sewer. That minimum is for the reserves added together, so it does not apply to the roads reserve alone. The statements do not say why the roads and fire balances moved.
Roads and fire protection are among the largest things a township pays for. A reserve that is empty or negative means the next road repair or fire truck has to be paid by raising taxes, borrowing, or waiting for a grant.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Reserve continuity schedule for 2025: roads and fire, with wording you can copy.
Schedule 3, reserves set aside by Council, 2025 (2024 in brackets): "Fire" 244,037 (1,463,933). "Roads" (318,553) (238,840). "Water and waste water" 7,434,610 (6,521,459). "Total reserves" 12,417,504 (12,875,971).
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 12 (Schedule 3, page 7)
The asset management plan says the long-term financial plan recommended a minimum balance for its capital lifecycle reserves, added together, of 10% of the average yearly capital spending over ten years: $745,000 for tax-supported services and $1.0 million for rate-supported services.
2025 Level of Service and Financial Strategy, Asset Management Plan · PDF page 62 (Funding Sources, Reserve/Reserve Fund, page 61 of 80)
8.1% to 8.4%average yearly increase in taxes and water charges the Township's 2024 long-term plan calls for
The Township's 2024 long-term financial plan, written by consultants for Council, says that to pay for the work it lists, taxes and water and sewer charges need to rise by 8.1% to 8.4% a year on average over ten years. Its Table 5-1 puts the Township's property tax on a median home ($210,000 assessed value) at $1,177 in 2024 and $1,896 or $2,073 in 2033; water and sewer charges are counted separately. A 2025 water and sewer rate study recommends that the water rate in Long Sault and Ingleside rise from $1.63 to $1.77 per cubic metre in 2026, and that wastewater rates rise by 6.1% a year on average. Past budgets on the Township's page show tax rate increases of 3% (2022) and 5% (2023). We did not find the increases Council adopted for 2024, 2025 or 2026.
These are plans written down by the Township, so residents can compare them to what is actually adopted. If bills are set to rise by more than 8% a year, residents will want to know before the October 26, 2026 election, not after.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The plan "encompasses 8.1% to 8.4% average annual increases to net levy and water/wastewater funding requirements over the forecast period", and more than half of the increase is for long-term replacement funding. Table 5-1: property tax per median household (assessed at $210,000) 1,177 in 2024, and 1,896 or 2,073 in 2033 depending on the growth scenario.
2024 Long-Term Financial Plan (Watson & Associates Economists) · PDF pages 71 and 72 (chapter 5, pages 5-1 and 5-2)
Table 6-1, water volumetric rate, Long Sault/Ingleside: per m3 1.63 in 2025 and 1.77 in 2026 (8.6% increase). Section 6.3 recommends that the wastewater volume charge rise by 6.1% a year on average ($65 a year for the average home) from 2025 to 2035.
Water and Wastewater Rate Study (Watson & Associates Economists, 2025) · PDF pages 53 and 54 (pages 6-3 and 6-4)
Under "Previous Budgets", the 2023 budget "represents a 5% township tax rate increase from 2022" and the 2022 budget "represents a 3% municipal tax rate increase". The page gives no tax rate increase for the 2024 budget and links no 2025 or 2026 budget document of its own.
Budgets and Finance (Township web page) · Previous Budgets, 2023 Budget and 2022 Budget sections
"Over the 10-year forecast period, these costs would increase to $1,896 (+5.4% per year) under the base growth scenarios and $2,073 (+6.5%) under the deferred growth scenarios."
Township of South Stormont, 2024 Long-Term Financial Plan (Watson & Associates) · PDF page 72 (page 5-2), text under Table 5-1
13.9%share of the Township's own revenue that debt payments reach by 2033 in the long-term plan, up from 5%
At the end of 2025 the Township owed $6,295,782 on its loans. Its 2024 long-term plan expects new debt to pay for about 55% of its capital funding over ten years, with $61.9 million to $62.9 million of new borrowing for water and sewer work if the provincial water grant is received. The plan says debt payments would grow from 5% of the Township's own income to 13.9% by 2033. The 2025 budget expected $6,798,000 of new borrowing; the statements show none of that size (they show a $50,200 loan). Since then, the Township has been told it won a $21.9 million grant for two plants.
Debt is paid back from future taxes and water charges. The higher the share of income that goes to debt payments, the less is left for services. Residents deserve to see the plan for borrowing laid out in one place.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Under base growth scenarios, "new long-term debt will represent between approximately 55% of all capital funding sources". Rate-based debt comes to between $61.9 million and $62.9 million where HEWS grant funding is received. Debt servicing costs as a share of own-source revenues are expected to rise to 13.9% by 2033 in the base growth and base grant scenario.
2024 Long-Term Financial Plan (Watson & Associates Economists) · PDF page 45 (section 3.3, page 3-18)
The asset management plan repeats this and adds that existing debt servicing costs "currently represent 5% of own-source revenues" and will fall to 1% as existing debt is retired.
2025 Level of Service and Financial Strategy, Asset Management Plan · PDF page 61 (Financial Strategy, page 60 of 80)
Statement of financial position: "Municipal debt" 6,295,782 at December 31, 2025 (6,868,312 in 2024). Statement of cash flows: "Proceeds from the issue of municipal debt" 50,200 in 2025.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 6 (page 1) and PDF page 9 (Statement of Cash Flows, page 4)
Note 12, Operating and water and wastewater operations surpluses and deficits: on the line "Proceeds on issuance of municipal debt" the 2025 budget column shows 6,798,000 and the 2025 actual column shows a dash.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · Note 12, PDF page 23
Grants: "The Township was successful with its application for $21.9 million of application-based HEWS grant funding. This funding is intended to partially offset $30 million of capital expenditures related to: Expansion of the Long Sault Regional Water Treatment Plant; Construction of the Ingleside Wastewater Treatment Plant". The plan also says: "The Township was successful with the HEWS grant funding application and is currently trending the Base Scenario built within the LTFP."
2025 Level of Service and Financial Strategy, Asset Management Plan · PDF page 63 (page 62 of 80), Grants; PDF page 60 (page 59 of 80)
$2,576,591from land sales in 2024, against $147,472 in 2025
The Township sells land it owns, and the money is counted as revenue. In 2024 the statements show $2,576,591 from land sales, against a budget of $3,449,277. In 2025 the budget was $500,000 and the statements show $147,472. The Township's budget page says its revenue comes from taxes, grants, fees, reserves, investments and land sales. The land it holds for resale was $400,994 at the end of 2025, the same as the year before. We did not find which properties were sold, to whom, or why the 2024 figure was so large.
Land sales happen once. If a budget leans on them to cover everyday costs, taxes may have to rise when the land runs out. Selling public land also deserves to be easy to follow: what was sold, for how much, and what the money was used for.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Land sold in 2024 and 2025, with wording you can copy.
Statement of financial activities, 2025: "Sale of land" budget 500,000, actual 147,472 (2024 actual 2,576,591).
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 7 (Statement of Financial Activities, page 2)
Statement of financial activities, 2024: "Sale of land" budget 3,449,277, actual 2,576,591 (2023: a dash). Statement of financial position: "Land held for resale" 400,994 at December 31, 2024 and 1,783,867 at December 31, 2023.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · PDF page 6 (Statement of Financial Activities, page 2) and PDF page 5 (Statement of Financial Position, page 1)
Schedule 3 shows a land inventory reserve of 920,791 at the end of both 2025 and 2024.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 12 (Schedule 3, page 7)
The Township's budget page says that besides taxes, "a number of other sources of revenue fund the remainder of the budget, including grants, fees and charges, reserves, investments and land sales."
2025 - 2027 Budget (Speak Up South Stormont page) · Revenue Sources section
+95%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2025
South Stormont spent $1.4M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $2.8M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
| Year | Police, fire and safety | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | −9% | +1% |
| 2021 | +3% | +4% |
| 2022 | +37% | +11% |
| 2023 | +58% | +16% |
| 2024 | +83% | +18% |
| 2025 | +95% | +21% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Police, fire and safety: 2019 $1.4M, 2020 $1.3M, 2021 $1.5M, 2022 $1.9M, 2023 $2.2M, 2024 $2.6M, 2025 $2.8M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Fire department, from $886K to $1.9M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$724,313net financial assets at December 31, 2025, down from $2,939,290
"Net financial assets" is what a town owns in cash and money owed to it, minus what it owes. At the end of 2025 that was $724,313, down from $2,939,290 a year earlier. Bills waiting to be paid ("accounts payable and accruals") rose from $5,038,155 to $7,824,081. A line in the statements called "Unfinanced capital outlay" was $(2,192,952), which means capital work has been paid for ahead of the money meant to cover it. The Township still held $15,133,038 in cash, of which $2,582,499 was restricted. The 2025 budget planned for net financial assets to end the year at $(4,445,937), so the actual result was better than planned.
A town that has paid for projects before its grants arrive is trusting that the grants will come. If a grant is late or smaller than expected, the gap has to be covered from reserves, taxes, water charges or borrowing. Residents can reasonably ask how big that gap could get.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of financial position, December 31, 2025 (2024 in brackets): "Net financial assets" 724,313 (2,939,290). "Accounts payable and accruals" 7,824,081 (5,038,155). "Accounts receivable" 3,594,575 (2,546,793). "Cash" 15,133,038 (14,621,590).
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 6 (Statement of Financial Position, page 1)
Statement of change in net financial assets: the 2025 budget column ends the year with net financial assets of (4,445,937); the actual column ends at 724,313.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 8 (Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets, page 3)
Schedule 3, accumulated surplus: "Unfinanced capital outlay, capital surplus" (2,192,952) in 2025 and 8,971 in 2024. Note 12 shows "Unfinanced capital outlay (utilized) carried forward" of 2,201,916 for 2025.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 12 (Schedule 3, page 7) and PDF page 23 (note 12, page 18)
Note 2, cash and temporary investments, 2025: "Unrestricted" 12,550,539; "Restricted cash" 2,582,499; total 15,133,038.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 20, note 2 (page 15)
2parcels the Township says could be environmentally impacted, with no cost recorded
The notes to the 2025 statements say the Township has identified two parcels of land that are not being used, or only partly used, and "could be environmentally impacted". The notes say the cost of the environmental studies is unknown, and no liability has been recorded because the Township thinks it unlikely it will have to clean them up. The notes do not say where the parcels are. They also say the Township is involved in legal actions in the normal course of business and that its insurers are defending them. No amounts are given.
A property that may be polluted can become a cost to taxpayers if the Township has to clean it up. Residents have a right to know where the properties are, especially if the Township sells land.
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 South Stormont? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 14, contingencies: "The Township identified two parcels of land that are non-productive or partially productive for PS 3260 purposes... that could be environmentally impacted." The cost of Environmental Site Assessments "is unknown" and a liability "has not been recorded". The same note says the Township and its insurers are defending all legal actions against the Township.
Township of South Stormont, Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 · PDF page 25, note 14 (page 20)