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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Tecumseh'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 Tecumseh's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 45 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.

Worth askingMoney health

Why did government grants come in about $11.6 million above budget in 2025, after coming in about $6.9 million below budget in 2024?

$36,576,839government transfers in 2025, against a budget of $24,965,545

Government transfers are grants from the province and the federal government. The audited statements show $36,576,839 of them in 2025, against a budget of $24,965,545 and $10,037,554 the year before. That is $11,611,294 above budget in 2025 (worked out by us). In 2024 the statements show $10,037,554 against a budget of $16,922,717, which is $6,885,163 below budget (worked out by us). The Town has explained part of this: its 2026 budget book lists large provincial and federal grants for water, sewer and storm projects. We did not find a list in the documents we read that shows which grants made up the 2025 total.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources

Worth askingSpending level

Why did unfinished construction more than double in 2025, from $33.2 million to $79.4 million, and why did cash fall by $13.7 million?

$79,414,440assets under construction at December 31, 2025, up from $33,216,168

Assets under construction are projects the Town has paid for but that are not finished or in use yet. The statements show $79,414,440 at the end of 2025 against $33,216,168 a year earlier. The 2025 budget for buying capital assets was $71,897,305; the statements show $10,391,909 actually acquired, plus a $46,198,272 change in assets under construction (a budget of $4,369,005). Cash and cash equivalents fell from $81,121,097 to $67,406,425. The 2026 budget calls for a $58M capital program. The Town has explained one project: the water and sewer work in the Tecumseh Hamlet area, which it says started construction in 2025 and is planned to finish in 2026.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources

Worth askingMoney health

Why does the Town's own budget show its savings falling by about $31.6 million in 2026, with lifecycle reserves close to zero?

$31,639,000estimated net use of reserves in 2026, per the 2026 budget book

Reserves are savings set aside by council for future costs, such as replacing roads and pumps. The 2026 budget book projects total reserves and reserve funds falling from $87,395,500 at December 31, 2024 to $43,721,500 at December 31, 2026, with estimated net activity of $(31,639,000) in 2026 alone. Lifecycle reserves (savings for replacing existing assets) are projected to fall from $22,472,000 at the end of 2025 to $616,000 at the end of 2026, while the Town says its yearly lifecycle funding target is $10,155,000. The Town has explained the pattern: several large projects are funded from reserves, some payments will fall into later years, and grants of about $17M are expected for water projects. The budget book assumes the projects are fully spent in 2026, which was not the 2025 experience.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 7 sources

Worth askingHow decisions are made

What is the Lottery Licensing lawsuit that the Town has set aside $150,000 a year to pay for, and what has it cost so far?

$150,000set aside from reserves in each of 2025 and 2026 for the lottery licensing lawsuit

The 2025 and 2026 budgets each set aside $150,000 from reserves for "ongoing legal costs surrounding the Lottery Licensing lawsuit". The budget books list legal fees of $251,000 in 2025 and $286,000 in 2026 and say most legal fees are paid from reserves because they are one-time items. The Town says it expects professional fees to fall when "outstanding legal issues" are resolved. The pages we read do not say who the parties are, what the claim is about, or how much has actually been spent. The statements say only that the Town faces legal actions, "some of which could be substantial", without a figure.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Worth askingRising costs

Why did planning and development spending come in about $1.7 million above budget in 2025?

$3,807,549planning and development expenses in 2025, against a budget of $2,103,770

The 2025 budget planned $2,103,770 for planning and development. The statements show $3,807,549 spent, which is $1,703,779 more (worked out by us). In 2024 the actual figure was $2,803,256 against a budget of $2,488,986. The segment schedule shows $1,990,496 of the 2025 planning spending under "Other", and $200,000 under grants and donations. The schedule groups spending differently from the statement of operations: its planning total is $3,535,997, not $3,807,549, and we did not find a reconciliation. The Town says federal housing grant money covers its Housing Action Plan initiatives, but we did not find a statement that accounts for the $1,703,779 difference in the documents we read.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Worth askingMoney health

Is the roughly $3.2 million of federal Housing Accelerator money meant for a capital project still on its way to the Town?

$3.2Mof Housing Accelerator money identified for a capital project, still under discussion with the federal government

The Town says the federal Housing Accelerator Fund approved $4.38M in February 2024 for nine housing initiatives. The budget book says one of them, Initiative 1, "was not approved", and that the Town "continues to work with the Federal government" about $3.2M identified for a capital project to speed up housing over the next 2 years. The same book says the funding is eligible during 2024 to 2027. The pages we read do not say which project it is or what happens to the project if the money does not come.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources

Good to know

Good to know

Background that helps make sense of the rest.

Good to knowHow decisions are made

Did council change anything in the first "Mayor's budget", and where can residents see the questions that were asked?

$1,294,824municipal levy increase in the 2026 budget, adopted with no amendments proposed

Since May 1, 2025 the Mayor has had "strong mayor" powers, which means the Mayor prepares and tables the budget, council can propose amendments within 30 days, the Mayor can veto them, and council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote. The 2026 budget book says the Mayor tabled the budget on January 13, 2026 and that "No amendments were proposed during the review period." The result was a municipal levy increase of $1,294,824 and a $58M capital program adopted as tabled. The Town explains that staff answered council's questions during the review. The Town's 2027 timeline says that if there are no amendments, the budget is deemed adopted.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Good to knowOpenness

What does the Mayor receive in total from the Town and from Essex Power, and why did the Mayor's Town salary rise in 2024?

$15,789remuneration and expenses paid to the Mayor by Essex Power in 2025, as the Town's statement prints it

The Town owns 26.44% of Essex Power Corporation, the local electricity company. The Town's yearly statement of council pay also lists what the Mayor, Gary McNamara, was paid by Essex Power: $10,250 in 2023, $19,050 in 2024 and $15,033 in 2025 (with $756 of expenses in 2025). In 2025 the Town paid the Mayor $88,402 in total for council work, as the statement prints it. The Mayor's Town salary printed in the statements was $50,971 in 2023, $64,477 in 2024 and $63,057 in 2025, a rise of about 26% from 2023 to 2024 (worked out by us). The statements say pay was set by a by-law from 2003 as amended up to 2019. We did not find the reason for the 2024 change in the documents we read.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Each question in full

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Why did government grants come in about $11.6 million above budget in 2025, after coming in about $6.9 million below budget in 2024?

$36,576,839government transfers in 2025, against a budget of $24,965,545

Government transfers are grants from the province and the federal government. The audited statements show $36,576,839 of them in 2025, against a budget of $24,965,545 and $10,037,554 the year before. That is $11,611,294 above budget in 2025 (worked out by us). In 2024 the statements show $10,037,554 against a budget of $16,922,717, which is $6,885,163 below budget (worked out by us). The Town has explained part of this: its 2026 budget book lists large provincial and federal grants for water, sewer and storm projects. We did not find a list in the documents we read that shows which grants made up the 2025 total.

Why it matters

Grants for big projects can land in one year and be spent over several. When a budget misses by this much in both directions, residents cannot easily tell how much of the Town's yearly result is grant timing and how much is its own taxes and fees.

It could be because…

  • Grants for a project are often counted when the Town is approved for them, not when the money is spent. A big approval can land in one year.
  • The budget says it was prepared on a different basis from the statements (note 14), so some of the gap can be accounting and not cash.
  • The 2026 budget book lists large grants for housing-related water and sewer work and for storm pump stations. These could account for much of the 2025 amount.
  • Gas tax money held for the Town is moved into revenue as it is spent on projects ($4,000,000 in 2025).

Questions you could ask

  1. Which grants make up the $36,576,839 of government transfers in 2025, and how much of each is still to be received or recognized in later years?
  2. Why do the statements show $14,220,738 of grants under general government, and how are grants split among services?
  3. Does the Town track grant approvals separately from grant cash received, and where is that reported to the public?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Statement of operations, 2025: "Government transfers" budget 24,965,545, 2025 actual 36,576,839, 2024 actual 10,037,554. "Capital contributions" budget 1,404,260, actual 3,306,264.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 8

  2. Statement of operations, 2024: "Government transfers" budget 16,922,717, 2024 actual 10,037,554, 2023 actual 2,939,377.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 8

  3. Schedule 2, segment disclosure, 2025: government transfers by service area total 36,576,839, of which "General government" 14,220,738 and "Environmental" 17,822,557. The note to the schedule says certain government transfers "have been apportioned" between services, so the service split is partly an allocation.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Schedule 2 (PDF page 39) and note 17 (PDF page 36)

  4. Note 14, budget: "The Financial Plan (Budget) By-Law adopted by Council on January 28, 2025, was not prepared on a basis consistent with that used to report actual results". The note adjusts the by-law deficit of (32,265,322) to the budget figures shown in the statements.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 14, PDF page 31

  5. Note 5, deferred revenue: gas tax opening balance 7,999,816, "Revenue recognized" (4,000,000), ending balance 5,522,994.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 5, Deferred revenue, PDF page 21

  6. The Town lists recent senior-government funding: the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund "will provide funding for 73% of eligible costs up to $15.1M" for the Tecumseh Hamlet Secondary Plan Area northwest quadrant, with a total project cost of $14.86M and "construction commencing in 2025"; a Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund grant of "up to $10.7M" towards two storm pump stations estimated at $34M; and an Active Transportation Fund grant of "up to $2.6M".

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Capital reserves, "Recent successful applications", PDF page 236

↑ All questions

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Why did unfinished construction more than double in 2025, from $33.2 million to $79.4 million, and why did cash fall by $13.7 million?

$79,414,440assets under construction at December 31, 2025, up from $33,216,168

Assets under construction are projects the Town has paid for but that are not finished or in use yet. The statements show $79,414,440 at the end of 2025 against $33,216,168 a year earlier. The 2025 budget for buying capital assets was $71,897,305; the statements show $10,391,909 actually acquired, plus a $46,198,272 change in assets under construction (a budget of $4,369,005). Cash and cash equivalents fell from $81,121,097 to $67,406,425. The 2026 budget calls for a $58M capital program. The Town has explained one project: the water and sewer work in the Tecumseh Hamlet area, which it says started construction in 2025 and is planned to finish in 2026.

Why it matters

Money spent on projects that are not yet finished is spent, but the public cannot use the result yet. Residents may reasonably ask what is in the $79.4 million, when it will be in service, and whether the final costs match the budgets.

It could be because…

  • Large water, sewer and storm projects take several years to build. A project stays "under construction" until it is in service.
  • Much of the 2025 spending may have been recorded as construction in progress instead of as finished acquisitions, so some of the gap between budget and actual may be classification.
  • Cash fell because the Town paid for construction, not because money was lost. The Town still reports $67,406,425 in cash.

Questions you could ask

  1. Which projects make up the $79,414,440 of assets under construction, and what are their budgets, costs so far and planned in-service dates?
  2. Why was the 2025 capital budget mostly shown as acquisitions when most of the spending was recorded as construction in progress?
  3. How much of the $58M 2026 program does the Town expect to spend in 2026, given that the 2025 budget was far above what was acquired?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The records that would answer this can be requested: Projects in "assets under construction" at December 31, 2025, with wording you can copy.

The evidence

  1. Note 15, tangible capital assets: "Assets under construction" 79,414,440 (2024: 33,216,168). Total tangible capital assets 315,613,926 (2024: 267,836,674).

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 15, PDF page 33

  2. Note 14, budget: "The Financial Plan (Budget) By-Law adopted by Council on January 28, 2025, was not prepared on a basis consistent with that used to report actual results". The note adjusts the by-law deficit of (32,265,322) to the budget figures shown in the statements.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 14, PDF page 31

  3. Statement of changes in net financial assets, 2025: "Acquisition of tangible capital assets" budget (71,897,305), actual (10,391,909). "Change in tangible capital assets WIP" budget (4,369,005), actual (46,198,272).

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Changes in Net Financial Assets, PDF page 9

  4. Statement of cash flows: "Change in cash and cash equivalents" (13,714,672). Cash at the end of 2025 67,406,425; at the end of 2024 81,121,097.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, PDF page 10

  5. The budget provides for "A $58M capital expenditure program" including stormwater and flooding work, preparing lands for development and sanitary sewer expansion in the Oldcastle area.

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Executive Summary, PDF page 9

  6. For the Tecumseh Hamlet Secondary Plan Area northwest quadrant servicing, "Total project cost is estimated at $14.86M with construction commencing in 2025 and completion planned in 2026."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Capital reserves, "Recent successful applications", PDF page 236

↑ All questions

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Why does the Town's own budget show its savings falling by about $31.6 million in 2026, with lifecycle reserves close to zero?

$31,639,000estimated net use of reserves in 2026, per the 2026 budget book

Reserves are savings set aside by council for future costs, such as replacing roads and pumps. The 2026 budget book projects total reserves and reserve funds falling from $87,395,500 at December 31, 2024 to $43,721,500 at December 31, 2026, with estimated net activity of $(31,639,000) in 2026 alone. Lifecycle reserves (savings for replacing existing assets) are projected to fall from $22,472,000 at the end of 2025 to $616,000 at the end of 2026, while the Town says its yearly lifecycle funding target is $10,155,000. The Town has explained the pattern: several large projects are funded from reserves, some payments will fall into later years, and grants of about $17M are expected for water projects. The budget book assumes the projects are fully spent in 2026, which was not the 2025 experience.

Why it matters

Reserves are the cushion for repairs and for tax increases that are not planned. If they run low, later budgets may need larger tax increases or borrowing.

It could be because…

  • Reserves exist to be spent on projects. A large capital program naturally draws them down.
  • The budget book says several projects will span more than one year, which defers payments, and grants of about $17M will help pay for water projects.
  • The Town says temporary shortfalls in some lifecycle reserves are covered by the overall surplus position of the others.
  • The budget book's balance at December 31, 2024 ($87,395,500) includes obligatory reserve funds of $16,314,000, which the statements present as deferred revenue, so it is not the same list as the one in the statements.

Questions you could ask

  1. How does the Town expect lifecycle reserves to recover from about $616,000 at the end of 2026 to its yearly target of $10,155,000, and by when?
  2. Can the Town publish a reconciliation between the reserve balances in the budget book and those in the audited statements, including which items are counted differently?
  3. If 2026 spending is again lower than planned, how much of the projected $31,639,000 reserve use is expected to carry into 2027?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Summary of reserves and reserve funds: actual balance 12/31/24 $87,395,500; projected 12/31/25 $75,360,500; "Estimated Net Activity 2026" $(31,639,000); projected 12/31/26 $43,721,500. Obligatory reserve funds 12/31/24 16,314,000.

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Reserves and Reserve Funds, PDF page 291

  2. Reserves table: "Lifecycle" actual balance 12/31/24 $23,009,000; projected 12/31/25 $22,472,000; estimated net activity 2026 $(21,856,000); projected 12/31/26 $616,000. "Tax Rate Stabilization" projected 12/31/25 5,105,000, net activity (675,000), projected 12/31/26 4,430,000.

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Reserves table, PDF page 292

  3. The 2026 allocation to lifecycle reserves is "$9,573,000" and "The annual lifecycle funding target is $10,155,000."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Executive Summary, PDF page 8

  4. "The Infrastructure Reserve has a projected 2026 year-end balance $6.0M, assuming the projects included within this budget are adopted by Council and all expenditures are incurred in 2026." The same page says several projects "will likely span multiple years", allowing "deferral of payments".

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Capital reserves, PDF page 235

  5. The Town says temporary deficit positions in some reserves "are essentially covered by the overall surplus position of the Town’s suite of Lifecycle Reserves", and that grant funding from the Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan will contribute approximately $17M to multi-year water projects.

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Lifecycle reserve commentary, PDF page 290

  6. Note 9, reserves and reserve funds at the end of 2025: "Total reserve and reserve funds" 67,556,102 (2024: 70,524,681). "Capital / lifecycle" 31,847,869 (2024: 37,852,861). "Tax rate stabilization" 6,447,339 (2024: 5,656,555).

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 9(b), PDF page 28

  7. Note 5, deferred revenue: the opening balance for 2025 (the total at December 31, 2024) was 16,313,845.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 5, PDF page 21

↑ All questions

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

What is the Lottery Licensing lawsuit that the Town has set aside $150,000 a year to pay for, and what has it cost so far?

$150,000set aside from reserves in each of 2025 and 2026 for the lottery licensing lawsuit

The 2025 and 2026 budgets each set aside $150,000 from reserves for "ongoing legal costs surrounding the Lottery Licensing lawsuit". The budget books list legal fees of $251,000 in 2025 and $286,000 in 2026 and say most legal fees are paid from reserves because they are one-time items. The Town says it expects professional fees to fall when "outstanding legal issues" are resolved. The pages we read do not say who the parties are, what the claim is about, or how much has actually been spent. The statements say only that the Town faces legal actions, "some of which could be substantial", without a figure.

Why it matters

Residents pay legal costs through taxes and reserves. A lawsuit that runs for more than one budget year, and that is funded from savings, deserves a public summary of what is at stake, even if the details of strategy stay private.

It could be because…

  • Councils often cannot discuss legal strategy in public. A short public summary of the issue and the cost to date may still be possible.
  • The $150,000 is a budget provision, not a spending figure. Actual costs may be lower, and unused money would go back to the reserve.
  • The Town may be defending a claim made against it, or may be the one seeking a ruling. The pages we read do not say which.

Questions you could ask

  1. In plain terms, what is the Lottery Licensing lawsuit about, and is the Town the one being sued or the one suing?
  2. How much has the Town spent on it so far, and how much has been taken from reserves for it in each year?
  3. Will council report in public on the outcome and the total cost once it is resolved?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The records that would answer this can be requested: Legal costs of the Lottery Licensing lawsuit, with wording you can copy.

The evidence

  1. A transfer from reserves of $150,000 is listed as a "funding allocation for ongoing legal costs surrounding the Lottery Licensing lawsuit."

    2025 Approved Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Operating budget, Transfers from reserves, PDF page 324

  2. Professional services in the 2025 budget: "Legal fees $251,000". "The majority of legal fees are funded through reserves as the majority of costs pertain to specific one-time items."

    2025 Approved Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Operating budget, Professional Services, PDF page 334

  3. A transfer from reserves of $150,000 is listed as a "funding allocation for ongoing legal costs surrounding the Lottery Licensing lawsuit."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Operating budget, Transfers from reserves, PDF page 368

  4. Professional services in the 2026 budget: "Legal fees $286,000". The Town expects professional services "will decrease in the forecast years with the resolution of outstanding legal issues".

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Operating budget, Professional Services, PDF pages 378 and 379

  5. Note 10, contingent liabilities: the Town "is subject to various legal actions, including some which could be substantial". "Other legal actions may be at an early stage and therefore the likelihood and magnitude of impact cannot be reasonably determined."

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 10, PDF page 29

↑ All questions

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Why did planning and development spending come in about $1.7 million above budget in 2025?

$3,807,549planning and development expenses in 2025, against a budget of $2,103,770

The 2025 budget planned $2,103,770 for planning and development. The statements show $3,807,549 spent, which is $1,703,779 more (worked out by us). In 2024 the actual figure was $2,803,256 against a budget of $2,488,986. The segment schedule shows $1,990,496 of the 2025 planning spending under "Other", and $200,000 under grants and donations. The schedule groups spending differently from the statement of operations: its planning total is $3,535,997, not $3,807,549, and we did not find a reconciliation. The Town says federal housing grant money covers its Housing Action Plan initiatives, but we did not find a statement that accounts for the $1,703,779 difference in the documents we read.

Why it matters

Planning decides what is built and where, and this area is central to the Town's housing and growth plans. A spending line that runs well over budget should have a published explanation.

It could be because…

  • Grants from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund pay for housing studies and staff time, and spending can run ahead of the original budget when grant money is received.
  • Some spending may be one-time, such as land, incentives, or studies carried over from earlier years.
  • The budget and the statements are built on different bases (note 14), so a part of any difference may be a matter of how items are classified.

Questions you could ask

  1. What makes up the $1,990,496 under "Other" in planning and development, and why was it not in the 2025 budget?
  2. Why does the segment schedule total $3,535,997 for planning and development when the statement of operations shows $3,807,549?
  3. How much of the 2025 planning spending was paid for by grants, and how much by taxes and 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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Statement of operations: "Planning and development" 2025 budget 2,103,770, 2025 actual 3,807,549, 2024 actual 2,803,256.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 8

  2. Note 14, budget: "The Financial Plan (Budget) By-Law adopted by Council on January 28, 2025, was not prepared on a basis consistent with that used to report actual results". The note adjusts the by-law deficit of (32,265,322) to the budget figures shown in the statements.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 14, PDF page 31

  3. Schedule 2, segment disclosure, 2025, "Planning and development" column: "Other" 1,990,496; "Grants and donations" 200,000; "Professional" 343,102; "Wages and benefits" 941,913; total expenses 3,535,997.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Schedule 2, PDF page 39

  4. Statement of operations, 2024: "Planning and development" budget 2,488,986, 2024 actual 2,803,256, 2023 actual 3,653,267.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 (KPMG LLP) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 8

  5. The Housing Action Plan funding: the application "was approved in February 2024, providing $4.38M in funding that supports nine of the Town Initiatives, thereby removing municipal financial implications with the implementation of those initiatives."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Tecumseh Housing Action Plan, PDF page 224

↑ All questions

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

Is the roughly $3.2 million of federal Housing Accelerator money meant for a capital project still on its way to the Town?

$3.2Mof Housing Accelerator money identified for a capital project, still under discussion with the federal government

The Town says the federal Housing Accelerator Fund approved $4.38M in February 2024 for nine housing initiatives. The budget book says one of them, Initiative 1, "was not approved", and that the Town "continues to work with the Federal government" about $3.2M identified for a capital project to speed up housing over the next 2 years. The same book says the funding is eligible during 2024 to 2027. The pages we read do not say which project it is or what happens to the project if the money does not come.

Why it matters

If grant money the Town counted on does not arrive, the project either shrinks, waits or is paid from taxes, reserves or borrowing. Residents should know which before the money is committed.

It could be because…

  • The Town may be waiting for a routine federal decision on how to apply the funds, and the money may still arrive.
  • The Town may be able to change the project to fit what the federal program accepts.
  • Even without the grant, the project may be affordable from existing reserves.

Questions you could ask

  1. Which capital project is the roughly $3.2M of Housing Accelerator money meant for, and is it in the 2026 capital program?
  2. What is the Town's plan, and who pays, if the federal government does not approve the funding?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. "The Town’s application was approved in February 2024, providing $4.38M in funding that supports nine of the Town Initiatives." "Given that HAF Initiative 1 was not approved, the Town continues to work with the Federal government regarding the status of the HAF funding and potential actions required to ensure the Town continues to benefit from the approximate $3.2M identified for a capital project that would support the accelerated provision of housing over the next 2 years."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Tecumseh Housing Action Plan, PDF page 224

  2. "Federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) will provide up to $4.3M towards Tecumseh’s Action Plan to create more supply of housing at an accelerated pace. Funding is eligible during 2024-2027 and could allow for $3.2M to be invested in core infrastructure projects."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Capital reserves, "Recent successful applications", PDF page 236

  3. "Additional HAF funding may be available towards capital program initiatives during 2025-2027." Housing Accelerator support for the Town's program initiatives "reduces in 2026."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Revenues, Canada specific grants, PDF page 359

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Good to knowFound by reading the town's documents

Did council change anything in the first "Mayor's budget", and where can residents see the questions that were asked?

$1,294,824municipal levy increase in the 2026 budget, adopted with no amendments proposed

Since May 1, 2025 the Mayor has had "strong mayor" powers, which means the Mayor prepares and tables the budget, council can propose amendments within 30 days, the Mayor can veto them, and council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote. The 2026 budget book says the Mayor tabled the budget on January 13, 2026 and that "No amendments were proposed during the review period." The result was a municipal levy increase of $1,294,824 and a $58M capital program adopted as tabled. The Town explains that staff answered council's questions during the review. The Town's 2027 timeline says that if there are no amendments, the budget is deemed adopted.

Why it matters

Under the new rules a budget can be adopted without a council vote on amendments. Residents depend on the published questions, answers and meeting records to see what was discussed and by whom.

It could be because…

  • Council members may have raised their concerns in questions to staff, and received answers that satisfied them, without needing an amendment.
  • The process is new in Tecumseh and set by provincial law. Having no amendments is allowed and may mean there was broad agreement.
  • Council discussion may have taken place at meetings whose minutes we did not read.

Questions you could ask

  1. Where are the questions council members asked about the 2026 budget and the answers staff gave, and can they be posted with the budget documents?
  2. Will the Town publish a plain summary each year of what council discussed during the amendment period when no amendments are proposed?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. "The Mayor tabled the 2026 Proposed Business Plan and Budget to Council and the public on January 13, 2026." "Administration supported this process by responding to questions and providing clarification." "No amendments were proposed during the review period." "The result is an adopted budget with a municipal levy increase of $1,294,824 or 2.85%, after accounting for $422,000 in assessment growth."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Budget Process, Adopted Budget, PDF page 323

  2. Under the Strong Mayor framework: "Following tabling of the Mayor’s proposed budget, Council has 30 days in which to propose amendments." "The Mayor retains the authority to veto Council’s budget amendments, and Council may override that veto with a two-thirds majority vote."

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Budget Process, Timelines, PDF page 316

  3. The capital program for 2026 "becomes part of the Mayor’s Budget" and is "subject to the legislated budget adoption process". The summary describes "A $58M capital expenditure program".

    2026 Adopted Business Plan & Budget, Town of Tecumseh · Lifecycle chapter introduction, PDF page 26, and Executive Summary, PDF page 9

  4. The Town's 2027 budget timeline: January 12, 2027 the Mayor tables the budget; February 11, 2027 Regular Council Meeting for any proposed amendments, "If no amendments, budget is deemed adopted"; February 21, 2027 deadline for the Mayor to veto; March 8, 2027 deadline for council to override.

    Town of Tecumseh, Budget and Finances web page · 2027 Budget Timeline section of the page

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Good to knowFound by reading the town's documents

What does the Mayor receive in total from the Town and from Essex Power, and why did the Mayor's Town salary rise in 2024?

$15,789remuneration and expenses paid to the Mayor by Essex Power in 2025, as the Town's statement prints it

The Town owns 26.44% of Essex Power Corporation, the local electricity company. The Town's yearly statement of council pay also lists what the Mayor, Gary McNamara, was paid by Essex Power: $10,250 in 2023, $19,050 in 2024 and $15,033 in 2025 (with $756 of expenses in 2025). In 2025 the Town paid the Mayor $88,402 in total for council work, as the statement prints it. The Mayor's Town salary printed in the statements was $50,971 in 2023, $64,477 in 2024 and $63,057 in 2025, a rise of about 26% from 2023 to 2024 (worked out by us). The statements say pay was set by a by-law from 2003 as amended up to 2019. We did not find the reason for the 2024 change in the documents we read.

Why it matters

Councillors and the Mayor are paid with public money, and a seat on the board of a company the Town part-owns is paid by that company. Residents can only judge the total if the amounts and the reasons are in the open.

It could be because…

  • The Town appoints directors to boards of companies it part-owns, and directors are normally paid by the company. The Town publishes it in its own statement, which is open practice.
  • Board work is real work, and fees may be set by the company's shareholders, not by the Town.
  • The Mayor's Town salary may have changed because of an adjustment to the Mayor's pay, a change in how a part-year was counted, or a by-law update. The statements do not say which.

Questions you could ask

  1. Who sets the board fees paid by Essex Power, and does the Town have a policy on pay for members of council who sit on boards of Town-owned companies?
  2. Why did the Mayor's Town salary rise from $50,971 in 2023 to $64,477 in 2024, and when did council last review the pay by-law?
  3. Can the Town publish each year a single table of what each member of council received from the Town and from every outside board?

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 Tecumseh? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2025: "Essex Power", Mayor, remuneration $15,033, mileage/travel and committee $756, expenses paid $756, total $15,789. Council table, Mayor: salary $63,057, total wages $70,621, "Remuneration and Expenses Total" $88,402.

    Town of Tecumseh, Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2025 · Page 1, Council and Essex Power tables

  2. Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2024: "Essex Power", Mayor, remuneration $19,050, expenses $816, total $19,866. Council table, Mayor: salary $64,477, total $92,386.

    Town of Tecumseh, Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2024 · Page 1, Council and Essex Power tables

  3. Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2023: "Essex Power", Mayor, remuneration $10,250, expenses paid $1,124, total $11,374. Council table, Mayor: salary $50,971, total $76,055.

    Town of Tecumseh, Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2023 · Page 1, Council and Essex Power tables

  4. The 2025 statement says pay was "paid pursuant to by-law #2003-16 as amended by by-law # 2006-84, 2007-27, 2007-85 and 2019-62".

    Town of Tecumseh, Statement of Remuneration and Expenses Paid 2025 · Page 1, Note *1

  5. Note 4: "The Corporation of the Town of Tecumseh holds a 26.44% interest in Essex Power Corporation." Investment balance 12,507,463; income from the government business enterprise 683,474 in 2025.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2025 (KPMG LLP) · Note 4 (PDF page 19) and Statement of Operations (PDF page 8)

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