Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Older reportDetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 An older report. We have no 2024 report for Tay in the Province's latest release, so these pages use its 2022 report. It may simply be filed late. Read by hand. We read Tay'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.
Questions · 8 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Tay's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 93 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$17,083,184debt planned for the wastewater plant in 2026, on a project budgeted at $50,886,458
The 2026 budget has a capital budget (money for building and replacing things like pipes, plants and roads) of $60,035,288. That is far more than the $21,338,499 the Township plans to spend on day-to-day running costs in 2026. Most of the capital money is one project: the Victoria Harbour Wastewater Treatment Plant, with a total project budget of $50,886,458. The budget pays for it with a $29,514,145 provincial grant and $17,083,184 of "Debt Financing (DC)". We read "DC" as development charges, the fees the Township collects on new building, but the budget does not spell it out. At the end of 2022 (the latest audited year posted) the Township owed $6,420,265 in total debt, so this one project would add much more debt than the Township has ever carried.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
March 27, 2024date of the auditor's report on the 2022 statements, the newest we found posted
Audited financial statements are the yearly accounts, checked by an outside accountant. On the Township's Budget and Finances page we found audited statements for 2018 to 2022 and none for 2023 or 2024. The 2022 statements carry a clean opinion ("present fairly") from Pahapill and Associates, dated March 27, 2024, more than a year after the year ended. The 2026 budget book prints "2025 Actual" figures that it says are unfinished ("Year-end Entries for 2025 Not Completed At Time of Printing").
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$761,827bank interest shown for 2025 so far, against a budget of $507,000
The 2026 budget book shows 2025 results next to the budgets. For 2025 the Township budgeted $507,000 of bank interest and the book shows $761,827 so far. It budgeted $400,000 of interest and penalties on late taxes and the book shows $562,215. For 2026 it budgets $400,000 and $450,000. The 2025 "actual" figures are marked as unfinished, so they may change. Interest income helps the budget balance. The Township says the 2026 tax increase for the median home is $68.98 for its own part of the bill.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$254,977building permit revenue shown for 2025, against a budget of $375,000 and a 2026 budget of $405,000
Building services are meant to pay for themselves from permit fees, not taxes. In 2025 the Township budgeted $375,000 from building permits and the book shows $254,977 so far. For 2026 it budgets $405,000 for permits and $89,870 for "building permit maintenance", up from $18,000 in 2025. In the same department, legal fees were budgeted at $1,000 for 2025 and the book shows $16,047, and the 2026 budget is $2,000. The 2025 figures are unfinished.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
At the end of 2022, $2.2M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 4 of 93 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.4M.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$1,742,821note receivable from Newmarket-Tay Power, 5.48% interest, no due date
The Township owns all of Tay Hydro Inc., which owns 7% of Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd., the local power company. The 2022 statements list a $1,742,821 note receivable (a loan the Township is owed) from Newmarket-Tay Power. It pays 5.48% interest twice a year, has "no due date" and is unsecured. The Township received $95,507 in interest on it in 2022, and the same amount in 2021. The amount did not change between 2021 and 2022.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$3,817,623capital assets bought in 2022, against a plan of $7,539,425
In 2022 the Township planned to buy $7,539,425 of capital assets (things like roads, buildings and equipment) and the audited statements show $3,817,623. It also expected $3,439,998 in government transfers and received $2,270,364. The Township still finished 2022 with a surplus of $2,746,682, against $2,209,593 planned. The statements do not say why the capital spending was lower.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$10,656,037Tay's own-purposes tax levy for 2026, up from $10,311,518 in 2025
The levy is the amount raised through property taxes. For Tay's own purposes the 2026 levy is $10,656,037, up from $10,311,518 in 2025. That is $344,519 more, or about 3.3% (worked out by us). The Township says the overall residential increase, with county and school parts, is 3.45%. It explains the budget as balancing "affordability with the investments needed" and lists the roads program, fire equipment, the 2026 election ($76,000) and community grants as highlights.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$17,083,184debt planned for the wastewater plant in 2026, on a project budgeted at $50,886,458
The 2026 budget has a capital budget (money for building and replacing things like pipes, plants and roads) of $60,035,288. That is far more than the $21,338,499 the Township plans to spend on day-to-day running costs in 2026. Most of the capital money is one project: the Victoria Harbour Wastewater Treatment Plant, with a total project budget of $50,886,458. The budget pays for it with a $29,514,145 provincial grant and $17,083,184 of "Debt Financing (DC)". We read "DC" as development charges, the fees the Township collects on new building, but the budget does not spell it out. At the end of 2022 (the latest audited year posted) the Township owed $6,420,265 in total debt, so this one project would add much more debt than the Township has ever carried.
Why it matters
Borrowing is paid back with interest over many years. If the money to repay it comes from fees on new homes and those homes are built slowly, the gap could land on water and sewer bills or on property taxes. It is also a very large project for a township with about $21 million in yearly running costs, so residents have reason to ask how it is protected if the grant or the growth does not arrive as planned.
It could be because…
The provincial grant ($29,514,145) pays most of the cost, and the debt is the smaller share.
Debt marked "DC" may be meant to be repaid from development charges paid by builders, not from taxes. A plant sized for growth is often paid for that way.
The plant may be required to serve new homes and meet provincial rules, so the cost is not optional.
Showing the whole project in the 2026 book is how the Township records the budget. It does not mean all of the money is spent in one year.
Questions you could ask
Has the $29,514,145 provincial grant been confirmed in writing, and what happens to the project if it is smaller or later than the budget assumes?
What do the $17,083,184 of "Debt Financing (DC)" and the $3,800,000 of other debt cost each year in interest and principal, and which fund pays it?
How much new development must be built for development charges to repay the debt, and what is the plan if it is built more slowly?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Budget summary: "The 2026 capital budget is $60,035,288" and "Overall operating expenses for 2026 total $21,338,499 including transfers to reserves."
Capital funding summary, 2026 Total Budget column: "Grant - Province of Ontario" (33,098,863), "Debt Financing" (3,800,000), "Debt Financing (DC)" (18,478,184), and "Capital/Project Expenditures" 60,035,288.
Note 11, Municipal debt: total $6,420,265 at December 31, 2022 (2021: $7,275,305). Principal and interest due on it from 2023 onward: principal $6,420,265 and interest $2,414,746.
March 27, 2024date of the auditor's report on the 2022 statements, the newest we found posted
Audited financial statements are the yearly accounts, checked by an outside accountant. On the Township's Budget and Finances page we found audited statements for 2018 to 2022 and none for 2023 or 2024. The 2022 statements carry a clean opinion ("present fairly") from Pahapill and Associates, dated March 27, 2024, more than a year after the year ended. The 2026 budget book prints "2025 Actual" figures that it says are unfinished ("Year-end Entries for 2025 Not Completed At Time of Printing").
Why it matters
The audited accounts are the check on whether the money was spent as council said. When the newest posted year is two or more years old, residents cannot compare the budget against audited results for the years in between, and the 2026 budget is built on numbers they cannot check.
It could be because…
The 2023 and 2024 statements may be finished and posted somewhere we did not read. Council's meeting agendas sit on a portal (CivicWeb) whose robots.txt asks automated tools not to read it, so we did not look there.
A change of auditor, or a restatement, can delay the audit. The 2022 report says the 2021 comparison figures were restated (Note 2).
Delays like this can come from a small finance team during staff changes or system changes, and are not a sign of missing money.
Questions you could ask
When will the audited 2023, 2024 and 2025 statements be posted, and where are they now?
What caused the delay in finishing the 2022 audit until March 2024, and has the timetable improved?
Will the audit committee or council receive the audited statements in public, with a date for 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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The Township's Budget and Finances page lists "2018 Audited Financial Statements", "2019 Audited Financial Statements", "2020 Audited Financial Statements", "2021 Audited Financial Statements" and "2022 Audited Financial Statements". We found no 2023 or 2024 audited statements on the page when we read it on October 5, 2026.
Independent Auditors' Report: "the accompanying consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The Corporation of the Township of Tay as at December 31, 2022". Signed "Huntsville, Ontario ... March 27, 2024", Pahapill and Associates Professional Corporation. "The comparative financial statements as at December 31, 2021 have been restated as disclosed in Note 2."
$761,827bank interest shown for 2025 so far, against a budget of $507,000
The 2026 budget book shows 2025 results next to the budgets. For 2025 the Township budgeted $507,000 of bank interest and the book shows $761,827 so far. It budgeted $400,000 of interest and penalties on late taxes and the book shows $562,215. For 2026 it budgets $400,000 and $450,000. The 2025 "actual" figures are marked as unfinished, so they may change. Interest income helps the budget balance. The Township says the 2026 tax increase for the median home is $68.98 for its own part of the bill.
Why it matters
Extra interest can be spent or saved. If it is steady, it is a reason the budget could ask for less in taxes. If it is a one-time gain from high interest rates, the Township may be right to plan for less. Residents can ask which it is, and where the extra goes.
It could be because…
Budgeting less interest for 2026 ($400,000) than 2025 may be a careful choice if the Township expects lower balances or rates.
The extra interest may be put into reserves, which is a normal use. We did not find where it went.
The 2025 figures are not final, so the gap may change once year-end entries are done.
Questions you could ask
How much of the 2025 interest income was spent in the year, and how much went to reserves?
What interest rate and balance does the 2026 figure of $400,000 assume?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Corporate Services Revenue, columns 2025 Actual / 2025 Budget / 2026 Budget: "BANK INTEREST - CURRENT ACCT." (761,827) (507,000) (400,000); "PENALTIES & INTEREST ON TAXES" (562,215) (400,000) (450,000). Page header: "(Note: Year-end Entries for 2025 Not Completed At Time of Printing)".
"For the median residential home in Tay Township, which has an assessed value of $220,000 (per MPAC supplied data), the annual expected increase is: $68.98 increase in Tay Township's levy, $92.87 Overall blended increase."
$254,977building permit revenue shown for 2025, against a budget of $375,000 and a 2026 budget of $405,000
Building services are meant to pay for themselves from permit fees, not taxes. In 2025 the Township budgeted $375,000 from building permits and the book shows $254,977 so far. For 2026 it budgets $405,000 for permits and $89,870 for "building permit maintenance", up from $18,000 in 2025. In the same department, legal fees were budgeted at $1,000 for 2025 and the book shows $16,047, and the 2026 budget is $2,000. The 2025 figures are unfinished.
Why it matters
If building revenue falls short, a service that is not meant to cost taxpayers may draw on reserves or taxes. A legal bill sixteen times its budget is a sign of an unplanned issue. Residents can ask what it was and whether the 2026 budget plans for another.
It could be because…
The Township may expect more building after the wastewater plant or new fees. Permit revenue can change a great deal from one year to the next.
The new maintenance fee line ($89,870 in 2026) may be a fee increase passed by council, which would explain the higher total.
The legal fees may have been a one-time matter that was not planned for. We do not know what they were for.
Questions you could ask
What were the $16,047 of 2025 legal fees for, and are more expected?
What fee changes or growth explain a 2026 budget of $405,000 for permits when 2025 shows $254,977?
Does building have its own reserve, and what is its balance?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Building Revenue, columns 2025 Actual / 2025 Budget / 2026 Budget: "BUILDING PERMIT MAINTENANCE" (28,000) (18,000) (89,870); "BUILDING PERMITS" (254,977) (375,000) (405,000); "Total Building Revenue" (283,912) (394,500) (496,370).
At the end of 2022, $2.2M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 13% of everything billed. Only 4 of 93 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.4M.
Why are so many property taxes unpaid?
$0$500K$1.0M$1.5M$2.0M$2.5M
$2.2M
2019202020212022
Show as a table
Year
Unpaid property tax at year end
2019
$1.6M
2020
$1.9M
2021
$1.4M
2022
$2.2M
Why it matters
When taxes go unpaid, everyone else carries the cost, and the town may borrow to cover the gap. The Province's financial indicators treat 10% to 15% as a moderate risk and more than 15% as a high risk. Collection is the town's job, so a rising number is worth asking about.
It could be because…
The final tax bill was due late in the year, so some payments simply arrived in January.
A few large properties are in dispute or being sold for back taxes.
Hard times for residents, which the town may be handling with payment plans.
Questions you could ask
How much is more than one year overdue, and from how many properties?
Are the rules for chasing unpaid taxes applied the same way to everyone?
Has the town registered tax arrears certificates on properties about two years behind? If still unpaid a year after that, Ontario law lets the town sell the property.
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Taxes receivable: 2019 $1.6M, 2020 $1.9M, 2021 $1.4M, 2022 $2.2M. Of the 2022 total, $672K was from earlier years.
$1,742,821note receivable from Newmarket-Tay Power, 5.48% interest, no due date
The Township owns all of Tay Hydro Inc., which owns 7% of Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd., the local power company. The 2022 statements list a $1,742,821 note receivable (a loan the Township is owed) from Newmarket-Tay Power. It pays 5.48% interest twice a year, has "no due date" and is unsecured. The Township received $95,507 in interest on it in 2022, and the same amount in 2021. The amount did not change between 2021 and 2022.
Why it matters
A loan with no end date ties up $1,742,821 that could pay for roads or water. It earns interest, so it is not a loss, but residents should know the terms: who can ask for it back, and when.
It could be because…
The loan may date from the arrangement that set up the local power company, and it is a steady source of income for the Township.
The interest rate (5.48%) is higher than the interest on many safe investments, so the Township may be better off holding it.
The terms may be set in an agreement with the other owners that we have not seen.
Questions you could ask
What are the full terms of the $1,742,821 note, and has council reviewed them recently?
Is there a plan to be repaid, and would repayment free money for the reserves?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 8: "Note receivable. 5.48% semi-annual interest, no due date, unsecured" $1,742,821 (2021: $1,742,821).
Note 6: "During 2022 the municipality received $112,000 (2021 - $101,000) in dividends from Tay Hydro Inc. and $95,507 (2021 - $95,507) in interest from Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd., which is included with other revenues."
Note 6, Investment in Tay Hydro Inc.: "Tay Hydro Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, is a 7% shareholder of Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Ltd." and "The corporation of the Township of Tay owns 100% of the outstanding shares."
$3,817,623capital assets bought in 2022, against a plan of $7,539,425
In 2022 the Township planned to buy $7,539,425 of capital assets (things like roads, buildings and equipment) and the audited statements show $3,817,623. It also expected $3,439,998 in government transfers and received $2,270,364. The Township still finished 2022 with a surplus of $2,746,682, against $2,209,593 planned. The statements do not say why the capital spending was lower.
Why it matters
Money planned for capital work that is not spent stays in the bank or reserves, and the work is delayed. Residents may be paying taxes for projects that have not yet been built.
It could be because…
Capital projects often take more than one year, so unspent money is carried to the next year.
Government transfers are paid as projects move forward, so lower capital spending would also mean lower transfers received.
The budget in the statements is prepared on a different basis and may not match what council passed.
Questions you could ask
Which 2022 capital projects were not finished, and were they completed in 2023 and 2024?
Is there a public report that compares each year's capital plan with what was built?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Statement of change in net financial assets, columns Budget 2022 / Actual 2022: "Acquisition of tangible capital assets" (7,539,425) (3,817,623); "Annual surplus" $ 2,209,593 $ 2,746,682.
$10,656,037Tay's own-purposes tax levy for 2026, up from $10,311,518 in 2025
The levy is the amount raised through property taxes. For Tay's own purposes the 2026 levy is $10,656,037, up from $10,311,518 in 2025. That is $344,519 more, or about 3.3% (worked out by us). The Township says the overall residential increase, with county and school parts, is 3.45%. It explains the budget as balancing "affordability with the investments needed" and lists the roads program, fire equipment, the 2026 election ($76,000) and community grants as highlights.
Why it matters
This is the number residents pay. The Township has published its own explanation, so this is context, not a concern. It helps to see the levy beside the large capital plan in the first finding.
It could be because…
The increase pays for roads, fire equipment and normal cost growth, which the Township lists as its budget highlights.
Growth in the number of properties can raise the levy without raising rates for each home.
Questions you could ask
How much of the 2026 increase pays for new projects, and how much for the cost of services that already exist?
How does the 2026 levy plan for the repayment costs of the wastewater plant debt?
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 Tay?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Taxation: "Total Tay Township's Own Purposes Levy" (10,311,518) in the 2025 Budget column and (10,656,037) in the 2026 Budget column.
"The overall increase for a residential property tax bill for 2026 including County of Simcoe and Education Levy is 3.45%." Highlights: "The total cost of the 2026 election is estimated at $76,000."
Adopted 2025 budget: "Total Tay Township Levy - Taxes own Purposes" (9,849,991) for 2024 and (10,311,518) for 2025, headed "APPPROVED/ADOPTED FEBRUARY 12, 2025".
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