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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Wainfleet'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.
Ontario / WainfleetUpdated Oct 5, 2026

Your town, in plain words

How Wainfleet uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Wainfleet's budget, taxes and council decisions. A rural township in Niagara Region, on Lake Erie, with a mayor and four councillors who all represent the whole township. Every figure links back to the public record.

Property tax raised in 2025$20.9Mall property in Wainfleet47% Town44% County10% SchoolsSee where your tax bill goes →
Town spending, 2025$9.3MAbout $2,833 per household, up 2.8% from 2024.See the money →
Property tax change+6.9%Wainfleet's own property tax came to $9.8M in 2025, against $9.2M in 2024.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Roads and snow$2.6M · 28%
Police, fire and safety$2.2M · 24%
Running the town office$1.6M · 17%
Parks, arena and library$1.5M · 16%
Show all 8 servicesShow fewer
Planning and business$1.1M · 12%
Health$308K · 3%
Water, sewers and garbage$36,686 · 0%
Social services$23,576 · 0%

Day-to-day spending in 2025, from Wainfleet's report to the Province.

A fair comparisonHow does Wainfleet compare?Among 36 similar Ontario towns, Wainfleet's day-to-day spending per household is near the middle.Wainfleet is here · 15 of 36, lowest to highestCompare Wainfleet →

Questions worth asking

A closer look at the numbers.

Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.

All 8 questions
Worth askingMoney health

How will the Township pay for the new fire station, now that its long-term debt rose from $976,528 to $5,470,568 in 2024?

$5,470,568owed in long-term debt at the end of 2024, up from $976,528

Long-term debt is money the Township borrowed and must pay back over many years. At the end of 2023 it owed $976,528. At the end of 2024 it owed $5,470,568. The statements say a loan with Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation to build a new fire station was turned into long-term debt on March 1, 2024. The Township could borrow up to $7,169,000 for the station, and $4,645,000 became long-term debt at 4.70%, due in 2039. The 2026 budget carries a yearly debenture payment and interest for the station.

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

Worth askingMoney health

Why is the building permit reserve overdrawn, and when will it be paid back?

(470,521)the building permit reserve the 2026 budget projects for December 31, 2026

A reserve is money set aside for a purpose. This one is named for building permits. It stood at $3,593 at the end of 2023. At the end of 2024 it was below zero at (247,114). The 2026 budget projects it at (352,201) at the end of 2025 and (470,521) at the end of 2026, after taking a further $118,320 from it. Permit income has also come in under budget: building permits brought in 81,316 in 2024 against a budget of 230,000.

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

Worth askingRising costs

Why has the arena cost far more than budgeted three years in a row, while the 2026 budget plans for much less?

$312,537the Township's projected 2025 arena net cost, against a budget of $100,684

The arena's net cost is what is left after its income (mostly ice bookings) is taken off its spending. The budget planned 132,564 for 2023 and the actual was 243,964. It planned 98,564 for 2024 and the actual was 271,133. For 2025 the budget was 100,684 and the Township's own projection is 312,537. The 2026 budget plans 64,939, lower than any year shown. Staff wages at the arena are the line that differs most: 345,864 projected for 2025 against 165,240 budgeted, while the 2026 budget is 160,500.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources

Worth askingRising costs

Why do by-law legal fees keep coming in above budget, and why does the 2026 budget go back to $100,000?

$155,143spent on by-law legal fees in 2024, against a budget of $100,000

The by-law and property standards department paid 178,351 in legal fees in 2023 against a budget of 100,000, and 155,143 in 2024 against 100,000. The 2025 budget was raised to 125,000 and the Township projects 125,000 for the year. The 2026 budget returns to 100,000.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Show 4 more questionsShow fewer
Good to knowRecord-keeping

Why did fines bring in $337,720 in 2024 against a budget of $75,000?

$337,720in fines in 2024, against a budget of $75,000

The 2024 statements list fines of $337,720 against a budget of $75,000 (in 2023, 74,622). The 2026 budget has a short-term rental line that may explain part of it: penalties of 277,155 in 2024 against a budget of 30,000. The Township projects 100,325 for 2025 and budgets 79,570 for 2026. We did not find a document that says the two are the same money.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources

Good to knowMoney health

Why did federal capital grants come in at $246,155 in 2024 against a budget of $1,658,505?

$246,155in federal capital grants in 2024, against a budget of $1,658,505

Government transfers (grants) were budgeted at 2,502,147 for 2024 and came in at 1,108,638. Most of the gap is capital grants from the Government of Canada: 1,658,505 budgeted against 246,155. Spending on capital assets (roads, buildings, equipment) was also below plan: 3,064,169 against a budget of 4,701,692. Grants for a project are usually paid as the work is done, so lower spending and lower grants may go together.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources

Good to knowSpending level

What does the 2026 tax levy increase of 5.92% pay for, and how much of it is new growth?

5.92%2026 total levy increase, before assessment growth of 0.94%

The levy is the part of the property tax bill the Township itself sets. The 2026 Final Budget raises it from 9,675,179 to 10,247,806, an increase of 572,627 or 5.92%. The Township says growth in the number of properties accounts for 0.94%, so the net increase is 4.98%. The table splits it into an operating levy increase of 1.92%, and an infrastructure levy and a capital levy that each rise by 2.00%. The Township prints the value of a 1% increase as $96,752.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source

Where your tax bill goes

A property tax bill in Wainfleet pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the town, and that part is what Wainfleet council controls.

Tax bill split: Wainfleet 47%, County or region 44%, Schools 10%
$20.9Mraised in 2025
  • Wainfleet47%
  • County or region44%
  • Schools10%

  • Every fact, sourced

    Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.

  • No accusations

    We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.

  • Compared fairly

    Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.

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