Questions · 10 so far
We read Val Rita-Harty's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 54 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
$1,768per home on council, 2024
Val Rita-Harty spent about $1,768 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $114. None of the 54 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$1.88 millionlocal share of the water plant rehabilitation, by the Township's own financial plan
The Township's own waterworks financial plan, filed with Council in October 2025, says the plant needs a rebuild that would use up the Township's borrowing room, and that it is not in a position to do the work without more money from other governments. The Township has secured $3,073,357 so far. It is asking senior governments to cover the rest. We are asking what the plan is if they say no.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 7 sources
June 16, 2026the day Council adopted the 2026 budget of $2,821,930
Council adopted the 2025 budget of $3,420,994 in July and August 2025, and the 2026 budget of $2,821,930 on June 16, 2026. Until a budget is adopted, a township collects tax only on an interim bill and its borrowing is capped by the year before. The budget page on the Township's website lists budgets only up to 2023.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources
October 21, 2025the date a bylaw was proposed to approve the July 9, 2025 decisions
A bylaw proposed in the October 21, 2025 agenda package would approve, as of July 9, 2025, decisions Council made that day, because no minutes or notes of the meeting exist. Those decisions included adopting the 2025 budget and setting the 2025 tax rates. We read the proposal, not the minutes of the meeting that dealt with it, so we do not know if it passed.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
December 31, 2022year end of the newest audited statements posted on the website
The newest audited statements on the Township's website are for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the auditor signed them on November 29, 2023. The finance page labels that file 2023. Council accepted statements for 2024 on August 26, 2025, but we did not find them, or any 2023 statements, on the website.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
$626Kin savings at the end of 2024
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Val Rita-Harty had $626K saved at the end of 2024, up from $568K in 2019. That is 27% of one year's spending. Only 10 of 54 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
Ongoingstatus of the 2025 payables review in the Township's January 2026 progress report
In January 2026 the Township's own progress report said staff were still researching accounts payable (the bills the Township owes) for 2025, because some had been paid from statements without an invoice, put in the wrong accounts, or lacked supporting papers. The work was listed as ongoing.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
$47,418.60total council pay and expenses for 2025, in the statement in the February 17, 2026 agenda package
The Municipal Act requires a yearly itemized statement of council pay and expenses by March 31, and the Township's draft pay bylaw says it will be posted on the website. The council page lists reports for 2021 and 2022 only. The 2025 statement, which totals $47,418.60, is inside a February 2026 agenda package. Its expenses column shows the same round amounts on several lines.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources
August 18, 2022date the Integrity Commissioner's report was presented to Council
An August 18, 2022 report by the Township's Integrity Commissioner found that Mayor Johanne Baril went beyond the role of a mayor by doing administrative work while the office was short of staff, and did not file the written statement the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act asks for when Council voted on paying for that work. The Commissioner recommended no penalty.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$624,581protection services spending in 2022, against a budget of $212,202
Spending on protection services (mainly fire) in 2022 was $412,379 over budget, worked out by us. The audited statements show the Township received $438,898 from Indigenous Services Canada for evacuation, which is more than the gap. This looks like extra spending paid for by another government.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$1,768per home on council, 2024
Val Rita-Harty spent about $1,768 per home on council in 2024. The typical similar town spent $114. None of the 54 similar towns spent more.
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Council per home: Val Rita-Harty $1,768; typical similar town $114; ranked 1st highest of 55.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 54 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 and Schedule 2 · archived copy
$1.88 millionlocal share of the water plant rehabilitation, by the Township's own financial plan
The Township's own waterworks financial plan, filed with Council in October 2025, says the plant needs a rebuild that would use up the Township's borrowing room, and that it is not in a position to do the work without more money from other governments. The Township has secured $3,073,357 so far. It is asking senior governments to cover the rest. We are asking what the plan is if they say no.
About 175 homes and businesses use the water system. A rebuild that the Township cannot afford puts pressure on water bills, roads and every other project that shares the same small budget.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The Township's waterworks financial plan says the plant "is more than 34 years old and requires a 9.7-million-dollar upgrade", that the project "was scaled back significantly to be a 5-million-dollar rehabilitation", and that the Municipality "cannot undertake this project without substantial external funding assistance".
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.3, Waterworks Financial Plan (2026-2031), section 1, PDF page 36
The same plan says: "The Municipality has secured $3,073,357 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), leaving a local share of $1.88 million." It adds that paying the local share "would require a construction loan, which would fully utilize the Municipality's Annual Repayment Limit (ARL)" and lists, among the choices without more help, "Impose unsustainable water rate increases (potentially up to 500%)". Elsewhere the plan says senior governments cover "approximately 73%" of the project cost.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.3, Waterworks Financial Plan (2026-2031), sections 5 and 6, PDF pages 39 and 40
The plan's appendix shows a yearly deficit in every year from 2026 to 2031 (for 2026, "-123,799.00") and says: "WITH NO WTP UPGRADE THERE IS STILL AN ANNUAL DEFICIT AND NO MONEY GOING TO RESERVES OTHER THAN AMORTIZATION WHICH WILL NOT MEET REPLACEMENT NEEDS".
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.3, Waterworks Financial Plan, Appendix A, PDF page 42
A February 2026 discussion paper says the plant project is "exceeding $5 million", that it is not optional because of provincial rules, and that "The Mayor has been actively lobbying senior levels of government to secure 100 percent funding for the water treatment plant project."
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, February 17, 2026 · Item 8.4, Communication Strategy Discussion Paper, PDF page 57
The 2025 budget variance report shows the Val Rita water and wastewater system with revenue of 585,647 budgeted and 404,602 actual, and expense of 585,647 budgeted and 524,514 actual.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, January 27 and 28, 2026 · Item 9.1, Budget variance report to December 31, 2025, VAL RITA WATER/WASTE WATER, PDF page 9
The 2022 audited statements say that at December 31, 2022 the municipality "is committed to contractual obligations of $453,995 for the design of water treatment plant upgrades".
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2022 · Note 16(b), Commitments, PDF page 25
Waterworks Financial Plan, Background: the Municipality "operates a municipal drinking water system that serves approximately 175 commercial and residential users."
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.3, Waterworks Financial Plan (2026-2031), section 1, PDF page 37
June 16, 2026the day Council adopted the 2026 budget of $2,821,930
Council adopted the 2025 budget of $3,420,994 in July and August 2025, and the 2026 budget of $2,821,930 on June 16, 2026. Until a budget is adopted, a township collects tax only on an interim bill and its borrowing is capped by the year before. The budget page on the Township's website lists budgets only up to 2023.
A budget adopted after half the year is gone is less a plan than a report on money already spent. Residents also cannot compare the plan with the results if the budget is not posted.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
A proposed bylaw in the October 21, 2025 agenda package lists decisions of Council on July 9, 2025, including: "Res. #25-072 - THAT Council adopt the 2025 Municipal Budget in the amount of $3,420,994, and directs [staff] to prepare the tax rates for 2025."
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.1, Schedule A of the bylaw to retroactively approve decisions made on July 9, 2025, PDF page 33
Draft minutes of the August 26, 2025 special meeting, in the same package, record Res. # 25-091: "That Bylaw 1212-05 being a bylaw to adopt the 2025 estimates (budget) be hereby read and adopted." The minutes print the bylaw number as 1212-05 and the agenda heading prints it as 1212-25. They are marked CARRIED.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Minutes of the August 26, 2025 Special Meeting, item 8.1, PDF page 10
Minutes of the June 16, 2026 regular meeting, in the July 27, 2026 agenda package, record Res. # 26-148: "THAT Council adopt the 2026 Municipal Budget in the amount of $2,821,930." They are marked CARRIED. These minutes were in the agenda package for approval at the July 27, 2026 meeting.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, July 27, 2026 · Minutes of the Regular Council meeting of June 16, 2026, item 12.1, PDF page 8
Council adopted Bylaw No. 1228-26, an interim tax levy bylaw, on the 27th day of January, 2026.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, January 27 and 28, 2026 · Item 11.4.1, Bylaw No. 1228-26, Interim Tax Levy, PDF page 3
The Township's budget page lists these budgets: "2023 – Budget", "2022 – Budget", "2021 – Budget", "2020 – Budget", "2019 – Budget" and "2018 – Budget". It lists no 2024, 2025 or 2026 budget.
Budget and finance page · Budget section
October 21, 2025the date a bylaw was proposed to approve the July 9, 2025 decisions
A bylaw proposed in the October 21, 2025 agenda package would approve, as of July 9, 2025, decisions Council made that day, because no minutes or notes of the meeting exist. Those decisions included adopting the 2025 budget and setting the 2025 tax rates. We read the proposal, not the minutes of the meeting that dealt with it, so we do not know if it passed.
Council spends public money and sets tax rates by public vote. When there is no record of the meeting, residents rely on a bylaw written three months later to know what was decided.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The preamble of the proposed bylaw says the July 9, 2025 meeting was not electronically recorded and "no minutes or notes were prepared". It says Council made decisions "in good faith and in the best interest of the Corporation" and now wishes to "formally ratify and retroactively approve" them. It refers to the July 9 meeting as a "Regular Meeting of Council", while Schedule A calls it a "Special Meeting".
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.1, Bylaw to retroactively approve decisions made on July 9, 2025, preamble, PDF pages 31 and 33
Schedule A of the proposed bylaw lists, among other items, adopting the 2025 budget of $3,420,994 (Res. #25-072), a bylaw to adopt tax ratios for 2025 (Res. #25-077) and a bylaw to set tax rates for 2025 (Res. #25-078).
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Item 11.1, Schedule A of Bylaw 2025-, PDF page 33
December 31, 2022year end of the newest audited statements posted on the website
The newest audited statements on the Township's website are for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the auditor signed them on November 29, 2023. The finance page labels that file 2023. Council accepted statements for 2024 on August 26, 2025, but we did not find them, or any 2023 statements, on the website.
Audited statements are the independent check on what the Township did with its money. Statements that come out nearly a year after year end, and are not posted, are of little use to residents before an election.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The finance page's Consolidated Financial Statements section lists "2023- Consolidated Financial Statements" as its newest link. The next links are labelled 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Budget and finance page · Consolidated Financial Statements section
The document behind that link is headed "DECEMBER 31, 2022". The Independent Auditor's Report is dated November 29, 2023, and gives a clean opinion that the statements "present fairly, in all material respects" the Township's finances.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2022 · Cover page and Independent Auditor's Report, PDF pages 1, 4 to 7
Draft minutes of the August 26, 2025 special meeting record Res. # 25-090: "THAT Council accepts the 2024 Financial Statements as prepared and presented by Baker Tilly." They are marked CARRIED.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, October 21, 2025 · Minutes of the August 26, 2025 Special Meeting, item 6.1, PDF page 9
A progress report from the consultants the Township uses lists "2024 Financial Audit & FIR" as "Completed". The FIR is the Financial Information Return the Township files with the Province.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, January 27 and 28, 2026 · Item 9.7, Progress Update - E4m, Finance section, PDF page 59
$626Kin savings at the end of 2024
Towns keep savings (called reserves) to pay for new trucks, roof repairs and surprises. Val Rita-Harty had $626K saved at the end of 2024, up from $568K in 2019. That is 27% of one year's spending. Only 10 of 54 similar towns had less, compared with what they spend.
| Year | Savings (reserves) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $568K |
| 2020 | $634K |
| 2021 | $661K |
| 2022 | $562K |
| 2023 | $672K |
| 2024 | $626K |
With little saved, a broken bridge or a storm has to be paid for with a sudden tax increase or a loan. Low savings can also mean past budgets were balanced by spending savings instead of facing the real cost.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Savings (reserves and reserve funds): 2019 $568K, 2020 $634K, 2021 $661K, 2022 $562K, 2023 $672K, 2024 $626K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 70, line 6420 · archived copy
Typical among similar towns: savings equal to 60% of a year's spending. Val Rita-Harty: 27%.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 54 similar municipalities · Schedules 40 and 70 · archived copy
Ongoingstatus of the 2025 payables review in the Township's January 2026 progress report
In January 2026 the Township's own progress report said staff were still researching accounts payable (the bills the Township owes) for 2025, because some had been paid from statements without an invoice, put in the wrong accounts, or lacked supporting papers. The work was listed as ongoing.
An invoice is the proof that a payment was for something the Township received. Without it, neither Council nor the auditor can easily check the spending.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The progress report lists under 2025 Budget: "Confirmation of A/P, A/R, banking reconciliations ongoing" and "Significant research of A/P to determine invoices paid/not paid as some paid by statement without accompanying invoice, allocated to incorrect accounts, no supporting documentation." Its status column reads "Work Ongoing".
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, January 27 and 28, 2026 · Item 9.7, Progress Update - E4m, Finance section, PDF page 59
$47,418.60total council pay and expenses for 2025, in the statement in the February 17, 2026 agenda package
The Municipal Act requires a yearly itemized statement of council pay and expenses by March 31, and the Township's draft pay bylaw says it will be posted on the website. The council page lists reports for 2021 and 2022 only. The 2025 statement, which totals $47,418.60, is inside a February 2026 agenda package. Its expenses column shows the same round amounts on several lines.
Residents can only check what council members were paid if the report is easy to find. A repeated round amount raises a fair question about whether it is a flat allowance or costs claimed.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The council page's list of "Statements of remuneration" has two entries: "2022 Council Remuneration Report" and "2021 Council Remuneration Report".
Council page · Council Remuneration section
The statement for January 1st, 2025 to December 31st, 2025, prepared under section 284, ends with "Total remuneration and expenses paid to Council $ 47,418.60". In its Expenses column, $3,000.00 appears on four lines and $750.00 on two lines.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, February 17, 2026 · Item 11.3, Statutory Statement re: 2025 Council Remuneration and Expenses, PDF page 105
A draft remuneration bylaw says [staff] "shall prepare a report of the remuneration and expenses paid to each member of Council" and "the report will be posted on the Municipality's website prior to March 31, of any given year". It says Council "has determined that moving to a flat rate, monthly honourarium is a more efficient and cost-effective practice."
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, February 17, 2026 · Item 8.2, Draft Council Remuneration Bylaw, PDF pages 8 and 9
Minutes of July 27, 2026 record Res. # 26-171: "THAT Bylaw No. 1264-26, Being a bylaw to establish Remuneration to Members of the Township of Val Rita-Harty Council and to provide for payment of travel expenses be read and adopted as amended this 27th day of July, 2026." They are marked CARRIED.
Regular Council Meeting agenda package, August 25, 2026 · Minutes of the Regular Meeting of July 27, 2026, item 11.1.3, PDF page 7
August 18, 2022date the Integrity Commissioner's report was presented to Council
An August 18, 2022 report by the Township's Integrity Commissioner found that Mayor Johanne Baril went beyond the role of a mayor by doing administrative work while the office was short of staff, and did not file the written statement the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act asks for when Council voted on paying for that work. The Commissioner recommended no penalty.
This is an official finding about an elected member, published by the Township. It also shows how Council handled a gap in its administration.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The report says the Commissioner found Mayor Baril "acted outside of her role as Mayor contrary to the Val Rita Harty Code of Conduct" on most allegations, and that she "contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act by failing to submit a written declaration of pecuniary interest". It says: "we will not be recommending any penalties".
Integrity Commissioner inquiry report, presented August 18, 2022 · Part II, Findings/Conclusion, paragraphs 3 to 5, PDF page 2
The report concludes: "Mayor Baril did contravene the Code of Conduct and the MCIA. We do not find that her actions/behavior were for a nefarious or self- serving purpose."
Integrity Commissioner inquiry report, presented August 18, 2022 · Part V, Analysis, paragraph 42, PDF page 9
The council page lists a second inquiry report, "IC Report CofC Mayor Baril – VRH – June 11 2024", and policies including "By-law 1161-24-Code of Conduct". When we followed the link to the 2024 report, the Township's website returned a page-not-found response.
Council page · Integrity Commissioner section, Inquiry & Annual Reports
$624,581protection services spending in 2022, against a budget of $212,202
Spending on protection services (mainly fire) in 2022 was $412,379 over budget, worked out by us. The audited statements show the Township received $438,898 from Indigenous Services Canada for evacuation, which is more than the gap. This looks like extra spending paid for by another government.
A line that comes in at about three times its budget needs an explanation, and here the statements supply most of it.
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 Val Rita-Harty? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The Consolidated Statement of Operations shows protection services with a budget of 212,202 and 2022 actual of 624,581.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2022 · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 9
The Schedule of Revenues lists "Indigenous Services Canada-evacuation" under government transfers for operations, with nothing budgeted and 438,898 actual in 2022.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2022 · Schedule of Revenues, PDF page 30
Note 5 shows accounts receivable of 548,331 from the Government of Canada at December 31, 2022, against 53,089 a year earlier.
Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2022 · Note 5, Accounts Receivable, PDF page 17