Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to Southgate's budget, taxes and council decisions. A township in Grey County, with a mayor, a deputy mayor and five councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow Southgate in one tapWhere it goes
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.
+16%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, Southgate collected $1.7M more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 16% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 3 of 91 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 9% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 3.9%.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
+90%roads and snow, 2019 to 2024
Southgate spent $2.2M on roads and snow in 2019 and $4.1M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 1 of 91 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
$4.9Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $4.9M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 25% of everything billed. None of the 91 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $3.5M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
June 5, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements, about 17 months after the year ended (worked out by us)
Audited financial statements are the yearly report card on a town's money, checked by an outside accountant. The auditor's report on the 2024 statements is dated June 5, 2026. The report on the 2023 statements is dated May 30, 2025. In both sets of statements a note says the Township's credit agreement with its bank needs audited statements within 120 days, and that the Township was not in compliance with this covenant (a promise made to the lender). A Township staff report says the 2025 audit began June 22, 2026. We did not find 2025 statements posted on October 5, 2026.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$120,790donations recorded in 2024, against a budget of $3,385,537
In the note listing the Township's "other income", donations were budgeted at $3,385,537 for 2024. The actual figure was $120,790. The shortfall on this one line is larger than the whole gap between budgeted total revenue of $23,439,379 and actual total revenue of $20,700,300 (worked out by us). The statements do not say which project the donations were meant for.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$4,066,295one-year CIBC loan at 4.39%, due in 2025
At December 31, 2024, the Township owed $6,495,418 in long-term liabilities, up from $2,925,418 a year earlier. The new amount includes a $4,066,295 demand instalment loan from CIBC at 4.39%, on a one-year term due 2025. The statements list $4,977,616 of principal payments due in 2025. The 2026 budget slides then list a debt table with $12,527,377 outstanding and new borrowing planned, such as $1,781,000 for Main Street West. The slides do not say whether the 2026 loans replaced the bank loan.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$13,467,540estimated total cost of the Highway 10 bypass road, with $7,282,745 expected from a developer
The 2024 statements list a $6,184,795 commitment for building the Highway 10 Bypass Road, of which $130,609 had been paid by December 31, 2024. The 2026 budget slides show a total project cost estimate of $13,467,540, with $4,531,600 to be funded by a developer in 2026 and a total developer funding figure of $7,282,745. The 2025 portion was paid from reserves built up from 2023 land sales. The slides do not say what happens if the developer does not pay.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$17,241,817reserves left at the end of 2026, down from $27,284,105 at the start
Reserves are money set aside in earlier years for later costs. The 2026 budget slides show total reserves starting 2026 at $27,284,105, with $1,642,589 going in and $11,684,877 coming out, leaving $17,241,817. The fall includes the Township's obligatory reserves (money by law set aside for growth), from $10,853,392 to $4,462,632, and its working-purposes reserves from $5,184,884 to $1,681,572. At December 31, 2024, the audited statements showed $12,134,960 of development charges held.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$6.25Mnow budgeted for the sewage treatment facility upgrade, up from $4.75M in the 2025 budget
In the 2026 capital plan for public works, the slide for the sewage treatment facility upgrade says it is carried "from 2025 Budget" with a "$1.5M Increase ($4.75M, now $6.25M)". The slide gives no reason for the increase. The budget presentation does not say whether the higher cost came from tenders, a larger scope or a change in the plan.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
3.47%blended tax rate increase for 2026 that the Township approved
The Township says the 2026 budget was approved at a blended tax rate increase of 3.47%. It was tabled by the Mayor on January 30, 2026 under the province's strong mayor powers, and the Mayor waived his veto period on February 19, 2026. The February 4 slides show the first draft at 5.11%. They show that growth in the tax base (assessment) took 4.91 percentage points off, and that a list of extra items, including $500,000 each for road and administration reserves, was not included in the forecast rate. The slides also say Council chose to phase in asset-management funding over five years.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+72%running the town office, 2019 to 2024
Southgate spent $1.3M on running the town office in 2019 and $2.2M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 16 of 91 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
+76%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2024
Southgate spent $721K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $1.3M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 12 of 91 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
+66%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2024
Southgate spent $2.0M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $3.4M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
+125%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2024
Southgate spent $1.3M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $3.0M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$3,863,685net financial assets at December 31, 2024, down from $10,302,977 a year earlier
Net financial assets is what a town owns in cash and receivables minus what it owes. It fell by more than half in 2024, because the Township spent $12,542,960 on buildings, roads and equipment while the balance of what it owed grew. The Township's own 2024 budget planned for a larger fall, to a deficit of $1,472,658. Of the $18,521,604 in cash at December 31, 2024, $12,302,336 is marked restricted and $6,219,268 unrestricted.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$388per home on garbage, dump and recycling, 2024
Southgate spent about $388 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2024. The typical similar town spent $158. Only 4 of 91 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
2024 tax year · Southgate, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Southgate's share pays for.
Ontario still uses property values from January 1, 2016 for tax, so your assessed value is probably well below what your home would sell for today.
It is on your property assessment notice from MPAC, and on your tax bill. We filled in the typical value in Southgate.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
Southgate council sets only its own share. County or region sets its share, the Province sets the school rate.
An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits Southgate's share by what each service cost in 2024 after its own fees and grants (for example, water bills pay for much of a water system). Real bills also depend on your property class, local charges and any rebates.
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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.
Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.
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