Questions · 11 so far
We read Whitestone's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 47 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
These are unusual enough that residents deserve a clear answer from council.
+103%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2024
Whitestone spent $176K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $358K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 3 of 47 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
+66%roads and snow, 2019 to 2024
Whitestone spent $859K on roads and snow in 2019 and $1.4M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 1 of 47 similar towns had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 3 sources
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$545,565left on the land-purchase loan after 2026 payments, with the loan's end date listed as August 1, 2027
Whitestone borrowed $695,000 from a bank in 2022 to buy land. The town's 2026 debt schedule says the loan matures on 08/01/2027 and still has a balance of $545,565.07 after the 2026 payments. The schedule lists a 15-year term and payments of $5,547.85 a month, which are small compared with the balance. That usually means the rest has to be paid off or renewed (borrowed again) when the loan ends. The audited statements show the town's overall debt went up in 2024, to $2,246,296, and show a large jump in principal due in 2028. We did not find where the town explains how it will handle the end of this loan.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
286,908gap between the 2026 planned capital funding and the target in the town's own asset plan
The town's 2024 asset management plan recommends how much it should put toward replacing worn-out assets each year. The 2026 budget book gives the target as 1,124,200 and says the town's planned funding falls short by 286,908. The book also shows a target annual increase of 1.4%. The tax-funded transfer to the asset management reserve rises from 485,000 in 2025 to 555,000 in the 2026 request. At the end of 2024, 15,926,561 of the 28,074,576 cost of the town's assets had been used up (worked out by us: about 57%).
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$607,372the town's estimate of what closing and looking after the two landfills will cost, after discounting, at the end of 2024
The audited statements say the town owes a future cost for closing its two landfill sites and caring for them for 15 years afterward. They put the discounted value of that cost at $607,372 at the end of 2024. The notes say the two sites have remaining lives of 4 and 27 years. The town's yearly transfer to its landfill reserve was $10,000 in 2024 and $45,000 in 2025, and the 2026 request is $45,000. We could not read the reserve's balance from the budget book reliably, so we do not give it here.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
+9%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, Whitestone collected $320K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 9% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 6 of 47 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 8% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 1.7%.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 4 sources
$670Kowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $670K of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 14% of everything billed. Only 11 of 47 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $543K.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 2 sources
Background that helps make sense of the rest.
$472,906one-time credit on the 2023 landfill line, from a change in accounting rules
In the 2023 statements the landfill line is a negative number, (472,906), meaning it reduced the year's expenses. The town explains why: on January 1, 2023 it switched to a new accounting standard and removed its old landfill liability of 500,800, replacing it with a new obligation of 578,064. The credit is a one-time bookkeeping result of that switch, and it made 2023's surplus look larger than it otherwise would have. The 2024 statements show a normal cost of 29,308 on the same line.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
December 16, 2025date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements; the 2023 report is dated June 18, 2024
The auditor's report on the 2023 statements is dated June 18, 2024. The auditor's report on the 2024 statements is dated December 16, 2025, which is about six months later in the calendar than the year before. The 2025 audited statements were not posted when we looked, which is not surprising at this date. We found no explanation of the later date in the documents we read.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$1,514,800provincial OMPF grant in the town's 2026 request, up from $1,141,600 in 2024
The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) is a yearly grant from the province to smaller and northern towns. The town's books show it at $1,141,600 for 2024, $1,292,200 for 2025 and $1,514,800 in the 2026 request, an increase of $222,600 in one year. For comparison, the 2026 request for taxation revenue is $3,866,434, so the grant is about 39% as large as the tax levy (worked out by us). Grants can go down as well as up.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
8.49%growth in external levies in the 2026 request, against a proposed 2.99% tax rate increase
Whitestone pays set amounts to other bodies for policing, ambulance, social services, the health unit and others. The 2026 request for these "external levies" is $1,153,800, up $90,250 or 8.49% from the 2025 approved budget of $1,063,550. The policing levy line goes from $421,038 to $467,400. The proposed tax rate increase is 2.99%. These amounts are set by other bodies, not by the town.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
+103%parks, arena and library, 2019 to 2024
Whitestone spent $176K on parks, arena and library in 2019 and $358K in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 3 of 47 similar towns had faster growth here.
| Year | Parks, arena and library | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +37% | +1% |
| 2021 | +50% | +4% |
| 2022 | +113% | +11% |
| 2023 | +85% | +16% |
| 2024 | +103% | +18% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Parks, arena and library: 2019 $176K, 2020 $241K, 2021 $264K, 2022 $375K, 2023 $325K, 2024 $358K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Library, from $41,462 to $132K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Typical growth among similar towns: 24%. Whitestone ranks 4th of 48.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 47 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 · archived copy
+66%roads and snow, 2019 to 2024
Whitestone spent $859K on roads and snow in 2019 and $1.4M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 1 of 47 similar towns had faster growth here.
| Year | Roads and snow | Prices (inflation) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +0% | +0% |
| 2020 | +15% | +1% |
| 2021 | +39% | +4% |
| 2022 | +45% | +11% |
| 2023 | +55% | +16% |
| 2024 | +66% | +18% |
Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.
When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Roads and snow: 2019 $859K, 2020 $991K, 2021 $1.2M, 2022 $1.2M, 2023 $1.3M, 2024 $1.4M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Biggest driver: Paved roads, from $115K to $953K.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy
Typical growth among similar towns: 24%. Whitestone ranks 2nd of 48.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 47 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 · archived copy
$545,565left on the land-purchase loan after 2026 payments, with the loan's end date listed as August 1, 2027
Whitestone borrowed $695,000 from a bank in 2022 to buy land. The town's 2026 debt schedule says the loan matures on 08/01/2027 and still has a balance of $545,565.07 after the 2026 payments. The schedule lists a 15-year term and payments of $5,547.85 a month, which are small compared with the balance. That usually means the rest has to be paid off or renewed (borrowed again) when the loan ends. The audited statements show the town's overall debt went up in 2024, to $2,246,296, and show a large jump in principal due in 2028. We did not find where the town explains how it will handle the end of this loan.
A loan that ends before it is paid down leaves one large bill for the town to pay or borrow again, probably at the interest rate of that day. In a town this size, one large bill can crowd out roads and equipment. Residents also have a right to know what the land is for and how it will be paid for.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Plan for the land-purchase loan maturing in 2027, with wording you can copy.
Note 7(a), municipal debt: "TD Canada Trust, due August 2027, repayable in monthly payments of $5,548 including interest calculated at 5.15% and is unsecured." Balance 618,547 at 2024 (2023: 652,228). Note 7(b), future principal: 2027 218,320; 2028 680,908; total 2,246,296.
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Note 7, PDF page 15
2026 Debt Schedule: "Land Purchase ( TD Bank)", account 16-441-13, term 15, loan start year 2022, fixed rate of interest 5.15, matures 08/01/2027, principal 695,000.00, instalment 5,547.85. The loan's Sub Total row prints 545,565.07 as the 2026 Ending Balance.
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · 2026 Debt Schedule, book page 13 of 39, PDF page 16
286,908gap between the 2026 planned capital funding and the target in the town's own asset plan
The town's 2024 asset management plan recommends how much it should put toward replacing worn-out assets each year. The 2026 budget book gives the target as 1,124,200 and says the town's planned funding falls short by 286,908. The book also shows a target annual increase of 1.4%. The tax-funded transfer to the asset management reserve rises from 485,000 in 2025 to 555,000 in the 2026 request. At the end of 2024, 15,926,561 of the 28,074,576 cost of the town's assets had been used up (worked out by us: about 57%).
Roads, bridges, trucks and buildings wear out. If a town does not save for replacing them, the bill comes all at once, and the choice is a big tax increase, new borrowing or letting the assets run down. The town has shown the gap in its own budget book, which is good. The question is whether the plan to close it is fast enough.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
"Recommended Capital Funding Target (2024 AMP)": Target Funding 1,100,000 for the 2025 Budget and 1,124,200 for the 2026 Request. Difference -317,499 (2025 Budget) and -286,908 (2026 Request). Target Annual increase of 1.4%: 51,800 and 54,130.
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · Recommended Capital Funding Target, book page 11 of 39, PDF page 14
Reserve Contributions: account 17-501 Asset Management Reserve Contribution: 2024 budget $288,985.00; 2025 budget $485,000.00; 2026 request $555,000.00 (change $70,000.00).
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · Reserve Contributions, book page 9 of 39, PDF page 12
Schedule 1: tangible capital assets cost, balance, end of year, total 2024: 28,074,576. Accumulated amortization, balance, end of year: 15,926,561. Annual amortization: 831,627.
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Schedule 1, PDF page 22
$607,372the town's estimate of what closing and looking after the two landfills will cost, after discounting, at the end of 2024
The audited statements say the town owes a future cost for closing its two landfill sites and caring for them for 15 years afterward. They put the discounted value of that cost at $607,372 at the end of 2024. The notes say the two sites have remaining lives of 4 and 27 years. The town's yearly transfer to its landfill reserve was $10,000 in 2024 and $45,000 in 2025, and the 2026 request is $45,000. We could not read the reserve's balance from the budget book reliably, so we do not give it here.
Closing a landfill is a legal duty and costs real money, whether or not the town has saved for it. If the nearer site closes in a few years, the town will need cash, grants or borrowing. Knowing the balance of the reserve tells residents how large the gap is.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The records that would answer this can be requested: Landfill reserve balance and closure plan, with wording you can copy.
Note 10, asset retirement obligations: "The sites have remaining estimated useful lives of 4 and 27 years." Undiscounted expenditures $ 356,750 $ 356,750. Closing balance $ 607,372 (2023 $ 578,064). Accretion expense 29,308.
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Note 10, PDF page 17
Reserve Contributions, account 17-506 Landfill Reserve Contribution: 2024 budget $10,000.00, 2024 actuals $10,000.00, 2025 budget $45,000.00, 2025 actuals $45,000.00, 2026 request $45,000.00.
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · Reserve Contributions, book page 9 of 39, PDF page 12
Note 10, Landfill obligation: "Post-closure care is estimated to be required for 15 years from the date of site closure."
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Note 10, PDF page 17 (printed page 15)
+9%town property tax, 2023 to 2024
In 2024, Whitestone collected $320K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 9% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 6 of 47 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 8% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 1.7%.
| Year | Town property tax |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $2.8M |
| 2020 | $3.0M |
| 2021 | $3.0M |
| 2022 | $3.2M |
| 2023 | $3.4M |
| 2024 | $3.8M |
A big one-year jump usually means something changed: a new cost, a service that grew, savings being rebuilt, or a problem from earlier years being paid for now. Residents should be able to see exactly which. Spread across every home, it is about $160 more each year.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Town property tax: $3,442,942 in 2023, $3,763,256 in 2024.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Typical increase among 47 similar Ontario towns: 6.1%. Whitestone ranks 7th highest.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 47 similar municipalities · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy
Residential tax rate (town share): 0.530% in 2023, 0.570% in 2024. Residential assessment: $621M to $631M.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 22, residential (RT) · archived copy
Prices (inflation) rose 2.4% over the same year.
$670Kowed in unpaid property tax, end of 2024
At the end of 2024, $670K of property tax had been billed but not paid. That is 14% of everything billed. Only 11 of 47 similar towns had a higher share. A year earlier it was $543K.
| Year | Unpaid property tax at year end |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $494K |
| 2020 | $471K |
| 2021 | $387K |
| 2022 | $419K |
| 2023 | $543K |
| 2024 | $670K |
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.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Taxes receivable: 2019 $494K, 2020 $471K, 2021 $387K, 2022 $419K, 2023 $543K, 2024 $670K. Of the 2024 total, $169K was from earlier years.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 70, lines 0610 to 0699 · archived copy
Typical among similar towns: 10.4% of taxes billed.
Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 47 similar municipalities · Schedules 26 and 70 · archived copy
$472,906one-time credit on the 2023 landfill line, from a change in accounting rules
In the 2023 statements the landfill line is a negative number, (472,906), meaning it reduced the year's expenses. The town explains why: on January 1, 2023 it switched to a new accounting standard and removed its old landfill liability of 500,800, replacing it with a new obligation of 578,064. The credit is a one-time bookkeeping result of that switch, and it made 2023's surplus look larger than it otherwise would have. The 2024 statements show a normal cost of 29,308 on the same line.
A one-time credit can make a year look better than it was. The 2023 surplus of 863,429 should be read with that in mind.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Statement of operations, Landfill: 2023 (472,906). Annual surplus 863,429.
2023 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, June 18, 2024) · Statement of Operations, PDF page 7
Note 2, change in accounting policies: "the Municipality derecognized the landfill closure and post-closure liability and recognized an asset retirement obligation (Note 11)." Statement of financial position: landfill closure and post-closure liability 2022 500,800; asset retirement obligations 2023 578,064.
2023 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, June 18, 2024) · Statement of Financial Position, PDF page 6; Note 2, PDF page 13
Consolidated Statement of Operations, expenses, "Landfill": 2024 budget -, 2024 actual 29,308, 2023 actual (472,906).
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7 (printed page 5)
December 16, 2025date of the auditor's report on the 2024 statements; the 2023 report is dated June 18, 2024
The auditor's report on the 2023 statements is dated June 18, 2024. The auditor's report on the 2024 statements is dated December 16, 2025, which is about six months later in the calendar than the year before. The 2025 audited statements were not posted when we looked, which is not surprising at this date. We found no explanation of the later date in the documents we read.
Audited statements are the independent check on what the town reports. The later they come, the longer residents and council go without 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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Independent auditor's report on the 2024 statements, Huntsville, Ontario, December 16, 2025. Opinion: "present fairly, in all material respects".
2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, December 16, 2025) · Auditor's report, PDF pages 4 and 5
Independent auditor's report on the 2023 statements, Huntsville, Ontario, June 18, 2024.
2023 Consolidated Financial Statements, Municipality of Whitestone (Pahapill and Associates, June 18, 2024) · Auditor's report, PDF page 5
$1,514,800provincial OMPF grant in the town's 2026 request, up from $1,141,600 in 2024
The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) is a yearly grant from the province to smaller and northern towns. The town's books show it at $1,141,600 for 2024, $1,292,200 for 2025 and $1,514,800 in the 2026 request, an increase of $222,600 in one year. For comparison, the 2026 request for taxation revenue is $3,866,434, so the grant is about 39% as large as the tax levy (worked out by us). Grants can go down as well as up.
A town that relies on a grant it does not control can face a tax increase or service cuts if the grant is cut. The rising grant also helped hold the proposed tax rate increase to 2.99%.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
General Revenue, account 15-504 Ontario Municipal Partners Fund (OMPF): ($1,141,600.00) 2024 budget, ($1,141,600.00) 2024 actuals, ($1,292,200.00) 2025 budget, ($1,292,200.00) 2025 actuals, ($1,514,800.00) 2026 request, ($222,600.00) change.
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · General Revenue, book page 16 of 39, PDF page 19
Budget summary: Taxation Revenue 3,866,434; Operating Grant 1,523,300; TOTAL REVENUE 7,635,100. "The 2026 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget reflects a tax rate increase of 2.99%".
8.49%growth in external levies in the 2026 request, against a proposed 2.99% tax rate increase
Whitestone pays set amounts to other bodies for policing, ambulance, social services, the health unit and others. The 2026 request for these "external levies" is $1,153,800, up $90,250 or 8.49% from the 2025 approved budget of $1,063,550. The policing levy line goes from $421,038 to $467,400. The proposed tax rate increase is 2.99%. These amounts are set by other bodies, not by the town.
A growing share of the budget goes to bills the council does not set, which leaves less for local roads and services.
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 Whitestone? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
Budget Summary by Cost Centre: External Levies $1,063,550.00 (2025 Approved Budget), $1,153,800.00 (2026 Request), change $90,250.00, 8.49%.
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · Summary by Cost Centre, book page 2 of 39, PDF page 5
External Levies, account 16-274 Policing Levy: $408,081.00 (2024 budget), $405,341.11 (2024 actuals), $421,038.00 (2025 budget), $382,628.57 (2025 actuals), $467,400.00 (2026 request), $46,362.00 (change).
2026 Proposed Consolidated Operating and Capital Budget, Municipality of Whitestone · External Levies, book page 23 of 39, PDF page 26
"The 2026 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget reflects a tax rate increase of 2.99%"
2026 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget summary, Municipality of Whitestone · page 1, opening sentence