Questions · 10 so far
We read St-Charles' financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 48 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
$559per home on council, 2024
St-Charles spent about $559 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $111. Only 1 of 48 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$5,562,147.99new loans listed in the 2026 budget (sum of three lines, worked out by us)
A municipality borrows when it spends more on big projects than it has saved or been given. The 2026 budget lists three new loans: $4,732,147.99 for a project on Casimir, King and St. Joseph roads, $450,000 for a 2026 tandem truck and $380,000 for a 2025 tandem truck. Added together (worked out by us), that is $5,562,147.99, about 14 times the $393,273 of debt in the 2024 audited statements. The capital side of the budget (big projects) grows from $1,822,344.61 in the 2025 budget to $7,725,529.80 in 2026. The 2026 budget carries $105,000 of interest and $75,000 of principal for the road loan. That is a small share of $4,732,147.99, so the budget may show only part of a full year's payment. We could not read the staff reports and by-laws behind the loan, because the meeting portal blocks scripted downloads.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources
$830,000two truck loans in the 2026 budget with no repayment line we could find (sum worked out by us)
The 2026 budget has repayment lines (interest and principal) for the road loan and for a "2024 Tandem" loan. We did not find repayment lines for the "2025 Tandem Truck Loan" of $380,000 or the "2026 Tandem Truck Loan" of $450,000, which are both listed as loans coming in. The $380,000 also appears as "2025 Tandem Loan proceeds to AMP Reserve", meaning it goes into the asset management reserve, not into a truck purchase.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
April 1, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements
Audited statements are the independent check on a town's books. The 2024 statements carry an auditor's report dated April 1, 2026, and the auditor's presentation to Council was prepared as of March 20, 2026 for April 1, 2026. The auditor's own timeline in the same presentation shows final fieldwork and reporting in October and November 2025. The 2023 statements were dated November 20, 2024, about 11 months after year-end (worked out by us). The 2025 statements were not posted when we read the page on October 7, 2026.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$869,066landfill closure obligation at December 31, 2024, against a reserve of $48,514
A town that runs a landfill has to close it and look after it for years afterward. The 2024 statements record a landfill closure liability of $869,066, up from $390,377, after a re-estimate of $470,001. Together with $110,477 for asbestos removal, the asset retirement obligation is $979,543. The statements list it as "unfunded", and the landfill site closure reserve holds $48,514. The notes say no remediation is budgeted for the next twelve months. The 2026 budget again sets aside $7,000 for the "Landfill Reserve".
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
$408,387contracted services for protection in 2024, against $166,940 in 2023
In the segment note of the audited statements, the "Contracted services" cost of protection to persons and property was $166,940 in 2023 and $408,387 in 2024, a rise of $241,447 (worked out by us). Protection covers police, fire and other protective services. Total spending on this service rose from $500,142 to $758,437. The 2023 and 2024 budgets each listed policing fees of about $260,000 on their own, which is more than the 2023 contracted-services figure.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
+49%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2024
St-Charles spent $470K on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $700K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
$58,662gap between amortization in note 10 and in the statements (worked out by us; also printed as a disposal/transfer)
Amortization spreads the cost of an asset over its life. In 2023 the note on capital assets and the statements agree at $319,660. In 2024 note 10 shows $471,393 of amortization charged to assets, while the statement of cash flows and the segment note use $412,731. The $58,662 gap is the same amount shown as "disposals and transfers" in accumulated amortization of land improvements, where the cost column shows no disposals. The statements do not explain it.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
3 monthswith no wastewater treatment contract, according to the 2024 statements
The commitments note in the 2024 statements says there were no contracts for wastewater treatment from January 2024 to March 2024, and that a new service agreement runs from April 2024 to December 2028 at $60,939 a year plus 2% a year. The Municipality published this itself. It does not say who ran the plant during the gap or how it was paid.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$670,701actual surplus for 2024, against a budgeted $390,912
The 2023 statements show a budget deficit of $(656,964) and an actual surplus of $654,500. The 2024 statements show a budget surplus of $390,912 and an actual surplus of $670,701. The Municipality explains that its budget is not prepared the same way as the statements. Note 17 lists the adjustments, such as reserve transfers and loan principal. By area, the gaps are large: in 2024, general government was budgeted at $2,130,409 and came in at $1,275,432, and recreation and culture $1,238,515 against $536,393. Coming in under budget is not a problem in itself, so this is a note.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$559per home on council, 2024
St-Charles spent about $559 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $111. Only 1 of 48 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. How to reach council.
Speak for St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Council per home: St-Charles $559; typical similar town $111; ranked 2nd highest of 49.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 48 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy
$5,562,147.99new loans listed in the 2026 budget (sum of three lines, worked out by us)
A municipality borrows when it spends more on big projects than it has saved or been given. The 2026 budget lists three new loans: $4,732,147.99 for a project on Casimir, King and St. Joseph roads, $450,000 for a 2026 tandem truck and $380,000 for a 2025 tandem truck. Added together (worked out by us), that is $5,562,147.99, about 14 times the $393,273 of debt in the 2024 audited statements. The capital side of the budget (big projects) grows from $1,822,344.61 in the 2025 budget to $7,725,529.80 in 2026. The 2026 budget carries $105,000 of interest and $75,000 of principal for the road loan. That is a small share of $4,732,147.99, so the budget may show only part of a full year's payment. We could not read the staff reports and by-laws behind the loan, because the meeting portal blocks scripted downloads.
Loan payments come out of the same pot as roads, snow plowing and the arena for years. A town with about $3.3 million of residential property tax in its budget is taking on a loan larger than its whole yearly tax levy, so residents should be able to see the term, the rate, who else is paying and what a full year of payments costs.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of financial position: "Municipal debt (note 8)" is 393,273 at December 31, 2024 (450,980 at December 31, 2023). Note 8 lists four debentures totalling $ 393,273.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 6; note 8, PDF page 19
Capital revenue lines: "Casimir, King & St. Joseph Road Loan" -$4,732,147.99; "2026 Tandem Truck Loan" -$450,000.00; "2025 Tandem Truck Loan" -$380,000.00. "Capital Revenue" -$7,174,008.09; "Total Revenue" 12,590,631.73.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Capital revenue lines, PDF page 4
Capital expense lines: "Casimir, King & St. Joseph Road Project" 4,775,000.00; "Tandem Plo/ Sander" 450,000.00; "Capital Expense" 7,725,529.80.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Capital expense lines, PDF page 22
Public works debt lines: "PW - Casimir, King & St. Joseph Road Interest" 105,000.00 and "PW - Casimir, King & St. Joseph Road Principal" 75,000.00.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Public works lines, PDF page 12
Revenue lines: "RT - RESIDENTIAL: Taxable" -$3,264,357.83 (page 1) and "Operating Revenue" -$5,416,623.64 (page 2).
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Revenue lines, PDF pages 1 and 2
"Capital Expense" 1,822,344.61 and "Total Expense" 6,721,765.80 in the 2025 budget.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2025 Budget · Capital expense total, PDF page 23
$830,000two truck loans in the 2026 budget with no repayment line we could find (sum worked out by us)
The 2026 budget has repayment lines (interest and principal) for the road loan and for a "2024 Tandem" loan. We did not find repayment lines for the "2025 Tandem Truck Loan" of $380,000 or the "2026 Tandem Truck Loan" of $450,000, which are both listed as loans coming in. The $380,000 also appears as "2025 Tandem Loan proceeds to AMP Reserve", meaning it goes into the asset management reserve, not into a truck purchase.
A loan has to be paid back whether or not the budget shows it. If the payments are missing from the 2026 budget, the shortfall would show up in a later budget or be paid from reserves. If they are included under another heading, the budget is hard to follow.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Capital revenue lines: "2026 Tandem Truck Loan" -$450,000.00 and "2025 Tandem Truck Loan" -$380,000.00.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Capital revenue lines, PDF page 4
Capital expense lines: "2025 Tandem Loan proceeds to AMP Reserve" 380,000.00.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Capital expense lines, PDF page 21
Debt lines in public works: "PW - 2024 Tandem Interest" 16,315.82 and "PW - 2024 Tandem Principal" 30,039.32, next to the Casimir, Victoria and Grader loans and the road project loan. No line with the words 2025 Tandem or 2026 Tandem appears among the expense lines.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Public works lines, PDF page 12
April 1, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements
Audited statements are the independent check on a town's books. The 2024 statements carry an auditor's report dated April 1, 2026, and the auditor's presentation to Council was prepared as of March 20, 2026 for April 1, 2026. The auditor's own timeline in the same presentation shows final fieldwork and reporting in October and November 2025. The 2023 statements were dated November 20, 2024, about 11 months after year-end (worked out by us). The 2025 statements were not posted when we read the page on October 7, 2026.
Residents and Council decide on budgets without audited results from the year just finished. The 2026 budget, with its large loans, was approved without 2025 audited statements being available (we found none posted). The auditor found no matters to report on control weaknesses, so this is about timing, not about the quality of the books.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Cover: "Prepared as of March 20, 2026 for presentation to Council on April 1, 2026" (Audit Planning and Findings Report for the year ending December 31, 2024).
Audit Planning and Findings Report for the year ending December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP) · PDF page 1
Key milestones and deliverables: "October and November 2025" is headed "Final Fieldwork & Reporting", with "Present audit results to the Council" and "Issue audit report on financial statements" listed under it.
Audit Planning and Findings Report for the year ending December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP) · PDF page 10 (timeline slide)
Status: "As of March 20, 2026 we have completed the audit of the financial statements, with the exception of certain remaining procedures", including "Obtaining evidence of Council's approval of the financial statements". Control deficiencies: "No matters to report".
Audit Planning and Findings Report for the year ending December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP) · PDF page 12 (status), PDF page 16 (control deficiencies)
Independent Auditor's Report on the statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, signed Sudbury, Canada, April 1, 2026.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Independent Auditor's Report, PDF page 5
Independent Auditor's Report on the statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, signed Sudbury, Canada, November 20, 2024.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2023 (KPMG LLP, November 20, 2024) · Independent Auditor's Report, PDF page 5
$869,066landfill closure obligation at December 31, 2024, against a reserve of $48,514
A town that runs a landfill has to close it and look after it for years afterward. The 2024 statements record a landfill closure liability of $869,066, up from $390,377, after a re-estimate of $470,001. Together with $110,477 for asbestos removal, the asset retirement obligation is $979,543. The statements list it as "unfunded", and the landfill site closure reserve holds $48,514. The notes say no remediation is budgeted for the next twelve months. The 2026 budget again sets aside $7,000 for the "Landfill Reserve".
The cost has to be paid at some point, by someone. If it is not saved for, it ends up in a future tax bill or a loan. Saving $7,000 a year against an estimate of $869,066 would take well over a century (worked out by us), but the real date of closure and the estimate may both change.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 9, asset retirement obligation: closing balance $ 869,066 for landfill closure and $ 110,477 for asbestos removal, total $ 979,543. "Remeasurement" 470,001 for landfill closure; opening balance $ 390,377.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 9, PDF page 20
"The Municipality does not have any estimated remediation efforts budgeted for the next twelve months."
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 9 (continued), PDF page 21
Note 11, accumulated surplus: under "Unfunded", "Asset retirement obligation" (979,543); reserve "Landfill site closure" 48,514 (41,514 in 2023).
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 11, PDF page 24
Expense line "Landfill Reserve" 7,000.00 in the 2026 budget.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2026 Budget · Landfill lines, PDF page 15
Expense line "Landfill Reserve" 7,000.00 in the 2025 budget.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2025 Budget · Landfill lines, PDF page 16
$408,387contracted services for protection in 2024, against $166,940 in 2023
In the segment note of the audited statements, the "Contracted services" cost of protection to persons and property was $166,940 in 2023 and $408,387 in 2024, a rise of $241,447 (worked out by us). Protection covers police, fire and other protective services. Total spending on this service rose from $500,142 to $758,437. The 2023 and 2024 budgets each listed policing fees of about $260,000 on their own, which is more than the 2023 contracted-services figure.
Policing is one of the largest costs a small town cannot control directly. A sudden jump, or an unusually low year before it, makes budgets hard to trust. Residents can ask for a plain explanation of the bills.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Segmented information, 2024: "Contracted services" row, protection column 408,387 (row total 1,027,337); protection total expenses 758,437.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 19, segmented information 2024, PDF page 30 (column headings print in a separate block; the row's figures add up to the total 1,027,337 and the protection column to 758,437, which matches the statement of operations on PDF page 7)
Segmented information, 2023: "Contracted services" row, protection column 166,940 (row total 628,149); protection total expenses 500,142.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 19, segmented information 2023, PDF page 31 (same layout check as page 30)
Expense line "ADMIN- OPP Policing Fees" 262,064.00 in the 2024 budget.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2024 Budget · Administration lines, PDF page 4
Expense line "ADMIN- OPP Policing Fees" 260,367.00 in the 2023 budget.
Municipality of St.-Charles, 2023 Budget for Resolution · Administration lines, PDF page 4
+49%police, fire and safety, 2019 to 2024
St-Charles spent $470K on police, fire and safety in 2019 and $700K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time.
| Year | Police, fire and safety | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +2% | +1% |
| 2021 | +8% | +4% |
| 2022 | +4% | +11% |
| 2023 | +3% | +16% |
| 2024 | +49% | +18% |
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Police, fire and safety: 2019 $470K, 2020 $477K, 2021 $508K, 2022 $490K, 2023 $484K, 2024 $700K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Building permits, from $35,307 to $239K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$58,662gap between amortization in note 10 and in the statements (worked out by us; also printed as a disposal/transfer)
Amortization spreads the cost of an asset over its life. In 2023 the note on capital assets and the statements agree at $319,660. In 2024 note 10 shows $471,393 of amortization charged to assets, while the statement of cash flows and the segment note use $412,731. The $58,662 gap is the same amount shown as "disposals and transfers" in accumulated amortization of land improvements, where the cost column shows no disposals. The statements do not explain it.
This is a small, checkable difference in the town's own audited numbers. It may be an honest clean-up, but a reader cannot tell. A clear note would answer 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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 10, 2024 table of accumulated amortization: amortization total $ 471,393; disposals and transfers (58,662), all in "Land improvements" (amortization 23,277); closing total $ 7,774,452. In the cost table, disposals are "-" for every class.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 10, PDF page 22
Statement of cash flows: "Amortization of tangible capital assets" 412,731 in 2024 and 319,660 in 2023. Statement of change in net financial assets: 412,731 and 319,660.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Statement of Cash Flows, PDF page 9; Statement of Change in Net Financial Assets, PDF page 8
Note 10, 2023 table: amortization total $ 319,660.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 10 (continued), PDF page 23
3 monthswith no wastewater treatment contract, according to the 2024 statements
The commitments note in the 2024 statements says there were no contracts for wastewater treatment from January 2024 to March 2024, and that a new service agreement runs from April 2024 to December 2028 at $60,939 a year plus 2% a year. The Municipality published this itself. It does not say who ran the plant during the gap or how it was paid.
Public money should be spent under a contract once a service is bought. A short gap is common, but it is fair to ask how it was handled and whether the purchasing policy was followed.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Note 12, wastewater treatment: "from April 2024 until December 2028, with annually payment of $60,939 plus increase of 2% each year per Consumer Price Index." "There were no contracts from January 2024 to March 2024."
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 12, commitments and contractual obligations, PDF page 25
$670,701actual surplus for 2024, against a budgeted $390,912
The 2023 statements show a budget deficit of $(656,964) and an actual surplus of $654,500. The 2024 statements show a budget surplus of $390,912 and an actual surplus of $670,701. The Municipality explains that its budget is not prepared the same way as the statements. Note 17 lists the adjustments, such as reserve transfers and loan principal. By area, the gaps are large: in 2024, general government was budgeted at $2,130,409 and came in at $1,275,432, and recreation and culture $1,238,515 against $536,393. Coming in under budget is not a problem in itself, so this is a note.
Residents see the budget as the promise for the year. When the two documents are built on different bases, a reader cannot tell from the budget alone what a service really cost. A comparison on one basis would fix that.
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 St-Charles? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of operations, 2024: "Annual surplus" budget 390,912, actual 670,701 (2023 actual 654,500). "General government" budget 2,130,409, actual 1,275,432. "Recreation and cultural services" budget 1,238,515, actual 536,393.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7
Note 17: "The budget was not prepared on a basis consistent with that used to report actual results (Public Sector Accounting Standards)." Budget surplus per financial plan $ -; add budgeted loan principal payments 38,694, transfer to reserve 304,111, landfill adjustment 460,838; less amortization (412,731); budget surplus per financial statements $ 390,912.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP, April 1, 2026) · Note 17, budget information, PDF page 27
Statement of operations, 2023: "Annual surplus (deficit)" budget (656,964), actual 654,500.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2023 (KPMG LLP, November 20, 2024) · Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7