Questions · 12 so far
We read Southwold's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 33 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
+190%roads and snow, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.2M on roads and snow in 2019 and $3.5M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 2 of 33 similar towns had faster growth here.
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.
$24,808,800in reserves at the end of 2025, against $10,257,449 in cash and investments (worked out by us)
A reserve is money a council sets aside for a named purpose. At the end of 2025 the Township's reserves were $24,808,800 (2024: $18,791,421). Its cash was $3,151,075 and its investments $7,106,374, which add to $10,257,449 (worked out by us). The same note shows three funds below zero: the general revenue fund at ($4,399,045), the "benefiting land owners" fund at ($2,508,950) and "unfunded capital" at ($6,302,346). Unfunded capital was ($2,738,348) a year before and ($196,288) two years before. The three deficits add up to $13,210,341 (worked out by us). Reserves are a bookkeeping balance, not a pile of cash, so a gap like this is common when a township builds ahead of its funding. The statements do not say how the gap will be closed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$14,296,770in assets under construction at the end of 2025, up from $5,347,465
Work in progress (assets still being built) rose to $14,296,770 at the end of 2025 from $5,347,465. In the 2025 year alone the Township added $11,765,191 to it. After year end the statements record three pieces of funding: a second Health and Safety Water Stream grant of $24.6 million for the Talbotville wastewater plant, a second payment of $16,737,491 from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund for the Shedden/Fingal plant, and a bylaw to borrow up to $4.8 million from Infrastructure Ontario for the new public works building. The statements say the loan "does not constitute grant funding". Unfunded capital, the amount spent on capital projects with no funding yet assigned, is ($6,302,346). The statements do not give the total cost of any of the three projects.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
($2,508,950)balance of the benefiting land owners fund at the end of 2025, down from ($1,220,705)
A local improvement levy is a charge on the owners of land that benefits from works such as sewers. The 2025 budget counted on $3,150,000 of these levies. The Township collected $180,318 (2024: $342,084). The fund the Township keeps for these owners, "benefiting land owners", stood at ($2,508,950) at the end of 2025. It was ($1,220,705) a year before and ($1,340,612) two years before. A note explains that the Township fronted money for the Talbotville sanitary sewers, to be recovered from future development and connection charges, and expects a significant part within two years.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$2,573,882building permit revenue the Township moved out of 2023 reserves and surplus when it corrected an error
In its 2024 statements the Township said it "identified an error recording revenues from the sale of building permits" and restated 2023, reducing reserves and the surplus by $2,573,882. The same note corrects a second error in the recording of sanitary sewer recoveries ($319,625) and a third in investment gains and losses. Permit fees collected under the Building Code Act can only be spent on the building service, so they are held as an obligatory reserve fund. That fund was $2,245,951 at the end of 2025 (2024: $2,482,539). A separate "building purposes" reserve has held $3,209 for three years. The Township has already published its explanation of the error. What the statements do not say is how it was found and what has changed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$3,563,933set aside for property tax assessment appeals at the end of 2025, up from $1,812,211 two years earlier
Owners can ask for their property's assessed value to be lowered, and if they win the Township must refund tax. Southwold keeps a reserve for this: "property tax assessment appeals" held $3,563,933 at the end of 2025, up from $2,664,533 a year earlier and $1,812,211 the year before that. The Township raised $8,391,395 in property tax for its own purposes in 2025, so the reserve is about 42 per cent of it (worked out by us). In the note on credit risk the Township says it provided an allowance of $nil for these challenges, because it could not make a reasonable estimate.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+78%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.3M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $2.3M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
+96%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.9M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $3.7M 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.
$14,327,574surplus in 2025, against a budgeted $2,230,112
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The 2025 budget in the statements planned for $2,230,112. The audited result is $14,327,574 (2024: $4,573,792). Spending came in under budget ($15,246,354 against $15,552,419), so the gap is almost all revenue: $29,573,928 against $17,782,531. Three one-time items add up to $13,832,254 (worked out by us): $6,973,954 of provincial grant money for the Shedden/Fingal wastewater plant, $4,858,300 from selling land, and a $2,000,000 donation for the firehall. The Township explains the grant in a note. The same year it spent $15,079,991 buying and building assets, so most of the surplus is already in buildings and pipes, not in the bank.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$4,858,300from land sales in 2025, against a budget of $3,150,000
The Township counted $4,858,300 from "sales on land held for sale" in 2025, against a budget of $3,150,000. The 2024 statements had already said, as a subsequent event, that the Township "closed on the sale of land held for sale totalling $4.5 million" and that a deposit had been received on another sale. A deposit of $1,575,000 held at the end of 2024 is nil at the end of 2025. The land still held for resale was $644,103 at the end of 2025 (2024: $441,065). The reserve "other municipal services" rose from $1,202,634 to $6,047,850, which is close to the land sale amount, but the statements do not say the two are linked.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
(15,079,991)shown as both the budget and the actual for buying capital assets in 2025
The note on budget figures in the 2025 statements says the operating budget "approved by Council on February 26, 2024" is shown on the statement of operations. The 2024 statements use the identical sentence, with the same date, but their budget column has different numbers (2024 property taxation budget 6,863,999, 2025 budget 7,238,453). The date in the 2025 note looks carried forward from the year before. In the statement of change in net financial assets the "Budget" column for buying capital assets, (15,079,991), is the same to the dollar as the actual. Note 12 explains that capital budgets run by project over several years and so are not comparable.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$609per home on snow ploughing, 2025
Southwold spent about $609 per home on snow ploughing in 2025. The typical similar town spent $141. Only 1 of 33 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
+190%roads and snow, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.2M on roads and snow in 2019 and $3.5M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 2 of 33 similar towns had faster growth here.
| Year | Roads and snow | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +43% | +1% |
| 2021 | +91% | +4% |
| 2022 | +120% | +11% |
| 2023 | +93% | +16% |
| 2024 | +145% | +18% |
| 2025 | +190% | +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. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Roads and snow: 2019 $1.2M, 2020 $1.7M, 2021 $2.3M, 2022 $2.7M, 2023 $2.3M, 2024 $3.0M, 2025 $3.5M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Gravel roads, from $325K to $1.5M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Typical growth among similar towns: 43%. Southwold ranks 3rd of 34.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2025, 33 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$24,808,800in reserves at the end of 2025, against $10,257,449 in cash and investments (worked out by us)
A reserve is money a council sets aside for a named purpose. At the end of 2025 the Township's reserves were $24,808,800 (2024: $18,791,421). Its cash was $3,151,075 and its investments $7,106,374, which add to $10,257,449 (worked out by us). The same note shows three funds below zero: the general revenue fund at ($4,399,045), the "benefiting land owners" fund at ($2,508,950) and "unfunded capital" at ($6,302,346). Unfunded capital was ($2,738,348) a year before and ($196,288) two years before. The three deficits add up to $13,210,341 (worked out by us). Reserves are a bookkeeping balance, not a pile of cash, so a gap like this is common when a township builds ahead of its funding. The statements do not say how the gap will be closed.
If reserves are shown as set aside but the cash is already spent on buildings, a council that wants to use a reserve may find the money has to be borrowed or raised from taxes instead. The size of the gap is also growing: unfunded capital has gone from ($196,288) to ($6,302,346) in two years.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of financial position: "Cash" 3,151,075 (2024 6,076,753); "Investments (Note 4)" 7,106,374 (2024 6,901,348); "NET FINANCIAL ASSETS" 9,800,024 (2024 8,450,542).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 6 (printed page 4)
Note 9, Accumulated surplus: "General revenue fund" (4,399,045) (2024 (4,394,636)); "Benefiting land owners" (2,508,950) (2024 (1,220,705)); "Unfunded capital" (6,302,346) (2024 (2,738,348)); "Reserves" 24,808,800 (2024 18,791,421); "Total reserves" 24,808,800.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22 (printed page 20)
Note 11, Accumulated surplus, 2023 column: "General revenue fund" (1,724,828); "Benefiting land owners" (1,340,612); "Unfunded capital" (196,288); "Reserves" 15,662,955.
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 11, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 25 (printed page 23)
Note 2, Accounts receivable: "HST receivable" 2,302,729 (2024 1,014,989).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 2, Accounts receivable, PDF page 17 (printed page 15)
$14,296,770in assets under construction at the end of 2025, up from $5,347,465
Work in progress (assets still being built) rose to $14,296,770 at the end of 2025 from $5,347,465. In the 2025 year alone the Township added $11,765,191 to it. After year end the statements record three pieces of funding: a second Health and Safety Water Stream grant of $24.6 million for the Talbotville wastewater plant, a second payment of $16,737,491 from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund for the Shedden/Fingal plant, and a bylaw to borrow up to $4.8 million from Infrastructure Ontario for the new public works building. The statements say the loan "does not constitute grant funding". Unfunded capital, the amount spent on capital projects with no funding yet assigned, is ($6,302,346). The statements do not give the total cost of any of the three projects.
These projects are large for a township of this size. Grants are not the same as a full price: any part of the cost not covered by grants lands on water and sewer users, developers or tax payers, and a loan is paid back with interest.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 5, Tangible capital assets, 2025: "Work In Progress" opening 5,347,465, additions 11,765,191, disposals (2,815,886), ending 14,296,770.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 5, Tangible capital assets, PDF page 18 (printed page 16)
Note 15, Subsequent event: "Township Council enacted By-Law 2026-08, authorizing the Township to borrow up to $4.8 million from Infrastructure Ontario to finance the construction of the new Public Works Building. The financing will be provided through a loan arrangement and does not constitute grant funding."
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 15, Subsequent event, PDF page 27 (printed page 25)
Note 16, One-time government grants: "The Township was approved for a second Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) grant in the amount of $24.6 million for the Talbotville Wastewater Treatment Plant project." It adds that the Township "received the second remittance relating to the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) grant for the Shedden/Fingal Wastewater Treatment Plant project in the amount of $16,737,491".
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 16, One-time government grants, PDF page 27 (printed page 25)
Note 9, Accumulated surplus: "Unfunded capital" (6,302,346) (2024 (2,738,348)).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22 (printed page 20)
($2,508,950)balance of the benefiting land owners fund at the end of 2025, down from ($1,220,705)
A local improvement levy is a charge on the owners of land that benefits from works such as sewers. The 2025 budget counted on $3,150,000 of these levies. The Township collected $180,318 (2024: $342,084). The fund the Township keeps for these owners, "benefiting land owners", stood at ($2,508,950) at the end of 2025. It was ($1,220,705) a year before and ($1,340,612) two years before. A note explains that the Township fronted money for the Talbotville sanitary sewers, to be recovered from future development and connection charges, and expects a significant part within two years.
When a township pays first and expects landowners or developers to repay later, taxpayers carry the risk if the development is slow. The note gives a two-year window for part of it. The fund has grown, not shrunk, so residents can ask what is expected and when.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of operations: "Local improvement levies" budget 3,150,000, actual 180,318 (2024 342,084).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7 (printed page 5)
Note 9, Accumulated surplus: "Benefiting land owners" (2,508,950) (2024 (1,220,705)).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22 (printed page 20)
Note 2, Accounts receivable: "Recoveries from Talbotville Sanitary" 399,022 (2024 441,874); "Recoveries from Talbotville Meadows Sanitary" 256,442 (2024 306,442). "Recoveries from Talbotville Sanitary is $399,022 (2024 - $441,874) representing funds fronted by the Municipality directly which are to be recovered from future subdivision development charges and sanitary sewer connection charges relating to the developments in the Municipality. It is anticipated a significant portion of the directly fronted charges will be recovered in the next two years."
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 2, Accounts receivable, PDF page 17 (printed page 15)
Note 6, Deferred revenue: obligatory reserve fund "Development charges" 109,993 (2024 68,221).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 6, Deferred revenue, PDF page 20 (printed page 18)
Note 11, Accumulated surplus, 2023 column: "Benefiting land owners" (1,340,612).
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 11, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 25 (printed page 23)
$2,573,882building permit revenue the Township moved out of 2023 reserves and surplus when it corrected an error
In its 2024 statements the Township said it "identified an error recording revenues from the sale of building permits" and restated 2023, reducing reserves and the surplus by $2,573,882. The same note corrects a second error in the recording of sanitary sewer recoveries ($319,625) and a third in investment gains and losses. Permit fees collected under the Building Code Act can only be spent on the building service, so they are held as an obligatory reserve fund. That fund was $2,245,951 at the end of 2025 (2024: $2,482,539). A separate "building purposes" reserve has held $3,209 for three years. The Township has already published its explanation of the error. What the statements do not say is how it was found and what has changed.
Building permit fees may only pay for building services, so the balance matters to builders and to residents. An error of this size, found by the Township itself, shows the checks worked in the end. It also shows the books were wrong for at least a year.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 8, Prior period adjustments, Building Permits: "During the year, the Municipality identified an error recording revenues from the sale of building permits." Decrease in reserves (2,573,882); decrease in annual surplus (2,573,882). Recovery of Sanitary Sewers: decrease in accounts receivable 319,625; decrease in annual surplus 319,625.
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 8, Prior period adjustments, PDF pages 22 and 23 (printed pages 20 and 21)
Note 6, Deferred revenue, obligatory reserve funds: "Building Code Act" 2,245,951 (2024 2,482,539). Note 9: reserve "Building purposes" 3,209 (2024 3,209).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 6, Deferred revenue, PDF page 20; Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22
$3,563,933set aside for property tax assessment appeals at the end of 2025, up from $1,812,211 two years earlier
Owners can ask for their property's assessed value to be lowered, and if they win the Township must refund tax. Southwold keeps a reserve for this: "property tax assessment appeals" held $3,563,933 at the end of 2025, up from $2,664,533 a year earlier and $1,812,211 the year before that. The Township raised $8,391,395 in property tax for its own purposes in 2025, so the reserve is about 42 per cent of it (worked out by us). In the note on credit risk the Township says it provided an allowance of $nil for these challenges, because it could not make a reasonable estimate.
A reserve this size means the Township expects to refund tax, or is guarding against a large change in value of some property. Taxpayers are building it up each year. They may reasonably ask what it is for and when it will be used or released.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 9, Reserves: "Property tax assessment appeals" 3,563,933 (2024 2,664,533).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22 (printed page 20)
Note 11, Wording on credit risk: "At year end the Municipality has provided an allowance of $nil (2024 - $nil) for these assessment challenges and $nil (2024 - $nil) in potential uncollectible tax assessments."
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 11, Financial instruments, Credit risk, PDF page 24 (printed page 22)
Note 1, Tax revenues: "In 2025 the Municipality received $8,391,395 (2024 - $8,015,387) in property tax revenues for municipal purposes."
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 1, Tax Revenues, PDF page 15 (printed page 13)
Note 11, Accumulated surplus, reserves: "Property tax assessment appeals" 2,664,533 (2023 1,812,211).
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 11, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 25 (printed page 23)
+78%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.3M on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $2.3M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
| Year | Police, fire and safety | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +3% | +1% |
| 2021 | +16% | +4% |
| 2022 | +33% | +11% |
| 2023 | +47% | +16% |
| 2024 | +56% | +18% |
| 2025 | +78% | +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. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Police, fire and safety: 2019 $1.3M, 2020 $1.3M, 2021 $1.5M, 2022 $1.7M, 2023 $1.9M, 2024 $2.0M, 2025 $2.3M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Fire department, from $501K to $1.0M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
+96%water, sewers and garbage, 2019 to 2025
Southwold spent $1.9M on water, sewers and garbage in 2019 and $3.7M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time.
| Year | Water, sewers and garbage | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +10% | +1% |
| 2021 | +49% | +4% |
| 2022 | +72% | +11% |
| 2023 | +80% | +16% |
| 2024 | +97% | +18% |
| 2025 | +96% | +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. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Water, sewers and garbage: 2019 $1.9M, 2020 $2.1M, 2021 $2.8M, 2022 $3.2M, 2023 $3.4M, 2024 $3.7M, 2025 $3.7M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Water pipes, from $1.5M to $2.4M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2025 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$14,327,574surplus in 2025, against a budgeted $2,230,112
A surplus is what is left when a year's revenue is more than its spending. The 2025 budget in the statements planned for $2,230,112. The audited result is $14,327,574 (2024: $4,573,792). Spending came in under budget ($15,246,354 against $15,552,419), so the gap is almost all revenue: $29,573,928 against $17,782,531. Three one-time items add up to $13,832,254 (worked out by us): $6,973,954 of provincial grant money for the Shedden/Fingal wastewater plant, $4,858,300 from selling land, and a $2,000,000 donation for the firehall. The Township explains the grant in a note. The same year it spent $15,079,991 buying and building assets, so most of the surplus is already in buildings and pipes, not in the bank.
A surplus this size can look like spare money. It is not, if it is grant money for a plant that is still being built. Residents can reasonably ask how much of it can be spent on anything else.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of operations: "Total revenues" budget 17,782,531, actual 29,573,928 (2024 17,993,482). "Total expenses" budget 15,552,419, actual 15,246,354 (2024 13,419,690). "ANNUAL SURPLUS" budget 2,230,112, actual 14,327,574 (2024 4,573,792). Provincial transfers: budget 552,125, actual 7,876,749 (2024 1,167,326). "Sales on land held for sale": budget 3,150,000, actual 4,858,300. "Donation - firehall": actual 2,000,000.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7 (printed page 5)
Note 16, One-time government grants: "The Township recognized the first remittance of the HEWSF grant in 2025 in the amount of $6,973,954 which is shown in the provincial line of the statement of operations." HEWSF is the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund grant for the Shedden/Fingal Wastewater Treatment Plant project.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 16, One-time government grants, PDF page 27 (printed page 25)
Note 6, Deferred revenue: "Talbotville Firehall" nil in 2025 (2024 1,427,500).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 6, Deferred revenue, PDF page 20 (printed page 18)
Statement of change in net financial assets: "Acquisition of tangible capital assets" (15,079,991) in 2025 (2024 (8,439,158)); "Amortization of tangible capital assets" 2,221,201.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets, PDF page 8 (printed page 6)
$4,858,300from land sales in 2025, against a budget of $3,150,000
The Township counted $4,858,300 from "sales on land held for sale" in 2025, against a budget of $3,150,000. The 2024 statements had already said, as a subsequent event, that the Township "closed on the sale of land held for sale totalling $4.5 million" and that a deposit had been received on another sale. A deposit of $1,575,000 held at the end of 2024 is nil at the end of 2025. The land still held for resale was $644,103 at the end of 2025 (2024: $441,065). The reserve "other municipal services" rose from $1,202,634 to $6,047,850, which is close to the land sale amount, but the statements do not say the two are linked.
Selling public land is a one-time event. Residents may want to know what was sold, whether the price was fair, and whether the money is being kept for something that benefits them.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
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Statement of operations: "Sales on land held for sale" budget 3,150,000, actual 4,858,300 (2024 nil). Statement of financial position: "Land held for resale" 644,103 (2024 441,065).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7; Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 6
Note 6, Deferred revenue: "Deposit on Property Held for Sale" nil in 2025 (2024 1,575,000).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 6, Deferred revenue, PDF page 20 (printed page 18)
Note 9, Reserves: "Other municipal services" 6,047,850 (2024 1,202,634).
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 9, Accumulated surplus, PDF page 22 (printed page 20)
Note 10, Subsequent events: "Subsequent to year end, the Municipality closed on the sale of land held for sale totalling $4.5 million. Additionally there is an agreement in place for the sale of the land held for sale. A deposit has been recieved but the sale is still to be finalized later this year."
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 10, Subsequent events, PDF page 24 (printed page 22)
(15,079,991)shown as both the budget and the actual for buying capital assets in 2025
The note on budget figures in the 2025 statements says the operating budget "approved by Council on February 26, 2024" is shown on the statement of operations. The 2024 statements use the identical sentence, with the same date, but their budget column has different numbers (2024 property taxation budget 6,863,999, 2025 budget 7,238,453). The date in the 2025 note looks carried forward from the year before. In the statement of change in net financial assets the "Budget" column for buying capital assets, (15,079,991), is the same to the dollar as the actual. Note 12 explains that capital budgets run by project over several years and so are not comparable.
A budget column helps residents see whether the Township did what it said. If the date is wrong, or the capital column just repeats the actual, the comparison says less than it seems to.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 12, Budget figures: "The operating budget approved by Council on February 26, 2024 is reflected on the statement of operations." Budgeted "Property taxation" 7,238,453.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Note 12, Budget figures, PDF page 25 (printed page 23)
Note 14, Budget figures: "The operating budget approved by Council on February 26, 2024 is reflected on the statement of operations." Statement of operations, 2024 budget: "Property taxation" 6,863,999.
Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, September 8, 2025) · Note 14, Budget figures, PDF page 28 (printed page 26); Statement of Operations, PDF page 7
Statement of change in net financial assets, 2025: "Acquisition of tangible capital assets" budget (15,079,991), actual (15,079,991). "NET FINANCIAL ASSETS, END OF YEAR" budget (2,178,136), actual 9,800,024.
The Corporation of the Township of Southwold, Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (Graham Scott Enns LLP, August 10, 2026) · Consolidated Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets, PDF page 8 (printed page 6)
$609per home on snow ploughing, 2025
Southwold spent about $609 per home on snow ploughing in 2025. The typical similar town spent $141. Only 1 of 33 similar towns spent more.
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.
Speak for Southwold? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Snow ploughing per home: Southwold $609; typical similar town $141; ranked 2nd highest of 34.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2025, 33 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy