Your town, in plain words
A clear, checkable guide to The North Shore's budget, taxes and council decisions. A small township on the North Channel of Lake Huron in the Algoma District, made up of Serpent River, Spragge and Algoma Mills, with a mayor and four councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.
Follow The North Shore in one tapWhere it goes
Questions worth asking
Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.
$432per home on council, 2024
The North Shore spent about $432 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $137. None of the 35 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$1,183,649landfill closure and after-care cost on the books at the end of 2024, after $992,567 a year earlier
The Township owns an active landfill (the dump). Ontario law requires it to be closed and watched for years afterwards, and the statements record that future cost as a liability (money owed later). In 2024 the Township raised its estimate of that cost by $165,036, to $1,183,649. The statements say the site has about four years of life left, with closure expected in 2028, and that the Township is applying to expand it. They also say the cost "will be funded from future taxation revenues". At the end of 2024 the reserves (savings set aside by Council) were $685,688.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$415,946net debt at the end of 2024, after $249,878 a year earlier
Net debt is what the Township owes minus the cash and money owed to it (its financial assets). It was $249,878 at the end of 2023 and $415,946 at the end of 2024. The Township ran an annual deficit of $247,933 in 2024, against a budgeted deficit of $241,674, after a deficit of $93,119 in 2023. Cash fell from $205,621 to $180,408. The Township's accumulated surplus (everything it owns less what it owes, mostly roads, pipes and buildings) fell from $5,364,453 to $5,116,687.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$271,962taxes owing at the end of 2024, before a $40,000 allowance, after $123,752 a year earlier
Taxes receivable is the property tax residents owed the Township and had not paid at year end. It was $123,752 at the end of 2023 and $271,962 at the end of 2024 before a new set-aside of $40,000 for taxes that may never be collected. The current-year part grew from $93,313 to $220,247. Municipal taxation revenue for 2024 was $1,276,371.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
April 1, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements, the newest audited year we found posted
The Township's finance page lists audited statements for 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. We did not find statements for 2023 or 2025. The 2024 statements carry an auditor's report dated April 1, 2026, which is 15 months after the year ended (worked out by us). The latest budget by-law listed is for 2023, and we did not find budgets for 2024, 2025 or 2026. The 2022 statements, the 2023 budget by-law, the meeting minutes and a 2025 special budget meeting agenda we opened are all pictures of pages with no text a screen reader or search tool can read. We found no council pay statement.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
+64%running the town office, 2019 to 2024
The North Shore spent $329K on running the town office in 2019 and $541K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 6 of 35 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
$38,716.35cost of complaints to the Integrity Commissioner in 2024
The Integrity Commissioner is an outside lawyer who looks at complaints that a member of council broke the Township's code of conduct. In 2024 the Township received sixteen complaints. Twelve led to reports to Council and four were dismissed. The Commissioner says handling the complaints cost $38,716.35, and giving advice cost another $1,615.90. We do not describe the complaints or the people involved. A complaint is not a finding that anything went wrong.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$591,037general government spending in 2024, against a budget of $466,024
General government is the Township's running of itself: council, the office, the finances and similar costs. The statements show $591,037 spent in 2024, against a budget of $466,024 and $448,416 in 2023. The statements do not explain the difference. The total expenses were $2,305,535 against a budget of $2,256,605.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$693,369deferred revenue (other) at the end of 2024, after $521,873 a year earlier
Some grants may only be used for set projects. The Township books them as "deferred revenue" (money received but not yet used) until it spends them. At the end of 2024 that came to $693,369, up from $521,873. The biggest parts were $420,666 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and $257,524 of NORDS funding.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
−$416Knet financial position, 2024
In 2019, The North Shore had $149K more in cash and money owed to it than it owed to others. By 2024 it was −$416K. About 209% of that change ($1.2M) is a new accounting rule from 2023: towns must now record the future cost of closing things like a landfill. That is not new spending or borrowing. Even leaving that out, only 12 of 35 similar towns are in a weaker position.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
$420per home on garbage, dump and recycling, 2024
The North Shore spent about $420 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2024. The typical similar town spent $279. Only 4 of 35 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
2024 tax year · The North Shore, Ontario
Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what The North Shore'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 The North Shore.
a year in property tax, at 2024 rates
The North Shore council sets only its own share. the Province sets the school rate.
An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits The North Shore'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.
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Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.
We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.
Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.
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