Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you Read by hand. We read Tay Valley's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.
A clear, checkable guide to Tay Valley's budget, taxes and council decisions. A rural township in Lanark County, west of Ottawa, run by a reeve, a deputy reeve and six ward councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
$434,824investment income at the end of 2024 in the budget book, against a budget of $110,000 (the gap is $324,824, worked out by us)
Investment income is the interest the Township earns on its savings and bank balances. The budget book shows $442,165 earned in 2023. For 2024 the budget planned $110,000 and the year ended at $434,824. For 2025 and again for 2026 the budget plans $150,000. The audited 2024 statements show $460,335 of investment income in total, counting every department. The Township's own December 2024 release said the 2025 budget includes "increased investment income", but the planned amount rose by only $40,000 (worked out by us: $150,000 less $110,000). The year to September 24, 2025 shows $93,346.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$175,436spent in 2024 on the two planning legal lines, against $25,000 budgeted (worked out by us)
The budget book shows two legal lines under planning. "Legal services" under General Planning was budgeted at $5,000 for 2024 and ended at $60,237. "Legal fees, planning services, other materials" for "OLT Hearings" was budgeted at $20,000 and ended at $115,199. Together that is $175,436 (worked out by us) against $25,000 planned. We take OLT to mean the Ontario Land Tribunal, which settles land-use disputes, but the budget book does not spell it out. The 2025 budget for the hearings line was $0, with $11,634 spent by September 24, 2025, and the 2026 budget is again $0. The book says OLT hearings are paid "from reserves if needed". We did not find the Township explaining what the 2024 hearings were about or what they cost in total.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$1,062,500increase in the landfill closure estimate in 2024
Under accounting rules the Township must record the future cost of closing and looking after its landfill sites as a liability (a debt it expects to owe later). In 2024 it raised that estimate by $1,062,500, taking the landfill closure balance from $1,037,495 to $2,141,495. The statements show the part not yet covered by money set aside, "Unfunded asset retirement obligation on landfill", at $1,453,995, up from $374,995. The statements say the estimate rests on assumptions over "up to one hundred years" and that the two active sites have an estimated life of 75 years. They do not say what changed the estimate. We did not find a plan to fund the gap.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$8,071,043tax levy for 2026, up from $6,611,037 in 2023
The levy is the part of property taxes the Township keeps for its own services. It was $6,611,037 in 2023 and is $8,071,043 for 2026. The yearly rises were 6.13% (2023), 6.26% (2024), 8.46% (2025) and 5.93% (2026). The Township has explained both of the last two. For 2025 it said the draft included a 6.36% rise from salary and benefit changes after a pay equity and compensation review, plus a 3.21% rise for OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) costs. For 2026 it said 4.15% ($316,493) of the 5.93% was the OPP contract, and that the province's one-time OPP relief of $178,480 had no sign of returning. The 2026 draft started at 7.24% and was cut to 5.93% before it was deemed adopted. The release says the tax rate rise, after growth in homes and businesses, is 5.29%.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 7 sources
$2,013,790capital program in the 2026 budget, against $4,032,429 budgeted for 2025
Reserves are money the Township sets aside for future roads, vehicles and buildings. The 2024 statements show reserves of $5,876,128, down from $7,270,343 (a fall of $1,394,215, worked out by us). The Township spent $4,615,833 on capital assets in 2024. The 2026 budget book plans a capital program of $2,013,790, compared with $4,032,429 budgeted for 2025 and $4,147,784 for 2024, while putting $1,978,994 into reserves. The Township says it is "continuing to invest into its reserves" and lists the 2026 projects. It does not say why the program is half the size.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
December 2, 2025date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements, the newest we found
The auditor's report on the 2023 statements is dated March 25, 2025, about 15 months after December 31, 2023 (worked out by us). The report on the 2024 statements is dated December 2, 2025, about 11 months after December 31, 2024 (worked out by us). Both are clean opinions ("present fairly"). On October 7, 2026 the newest statements on the Township's budget page were the 2024 ones. We did not find the Township explaining the timing.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
5 daysreview period in the suggested motion on the November 25, 2025 agenda, in place of 30 days
Since May 1, 2025 the Reeve has had "strong mayor" powers, including proposing the budget. Council can then amend it, the Reeve can veto an amendment, and Council can override. The Township's own page lists a Reeve's decision dated November 25, 2025, number 2025-12: "To Shorten 10-Day Period for the Reeve to Veto an Amendment Resolution Passed by Council to the 2026 Reeve's Proposed Budget". The agenda for that day's special council meeting carries a suggested motion to shorten the 30-day Council review period to 5 days, ending on November 25, 2025, and the Township's release says the budget was deemed adopted that day. On November 6, 2025 the Clerk told the Committee that Council could give direction on budget decisions until November 20, 2025. We did not read the November 25 minutes, so we do not know what Council voted or whether any amendment was made.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
2024 tax year · Tay Valley, Ontario
Your tax bill, worked out.
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Tay Valley'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 Tay Valley.
An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits Tay Valley'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.
How Tay Valley's share of the bill compares with similar towns
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