Council BooksTemagamiOntarioSign inSubscribe
Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Built automaticallyDetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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
Built automatically. These pages come only from Temagami's yearly report to the Province. Nobody has read this town's budget or meeting minutes for this site yet.

Questions · 1 so far

Things worth asking about

These questions come automatically from Temagami's yearly financial reports to the Province, compared with 55 similar Ontario towns. Nobody has read this town's budget or minutes for this site yet, so there may be good explanations we have not seen.

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.
Needs an answer

Needs an answer

These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.

Needs an answerMoney health

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?

$1.3Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024

At the end of 2024, $1.3M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 20% of everything billed. Only 7 of 55 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.1M.

Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources

Each question in full

Needs an answerFound automatically from financial reports

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?

$1.3Mowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024

At the end of 2024, $1.3M of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 20% of everything billed. Only 7 of 55 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $1.1M.

Why are so many property taxes unpaid?
$1.3M
Show as a table
YearUnpaid property tax at year end
2019$895K
2020$909K
2021$822K
2022$894K
2023$1.1M
2024$1.3M

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

  1. How much is more than one year overdue, and from how many properties?
  2. Are the rules for chasing unpaid taxes applied the same way to everyone?
  3. 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. Your town office can tell you how to reach council.

Speak for Temagami? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Taxes receivable: 2019 $895K, 2020 $909K, 2021 $822K, 2022 $894K, 2023 $1.1M, 2024 $1.3M. Of the 2024 total, $712K was from earlier years.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 70, lines 0610 to 0699 · archived copy

  2. Typical among similar towns: 11.6% of taxes billed.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 55 similar municipalities · Schedules 26 and 70 · archived copy

↑ All questions