2026 Budget Snapshot > Totals from page 7 of Tabled 2026 Budget. (with $2.6 million firetruck)
2026 Budget Snapshot > Grouping of 3 Expenditures and 4 Revenue Sources
3 Expenditures = $ OUT
Total operating expenditure: $18,156,686
Total capital expenditures: $12,042,395
Reserve contributions: $1,500,000
Total $ OUT $31,699,081
4 Revenues = $ IN
Township tax levy: $15,830,040 9.7 % increase over 2025
Non-taxation revenues: $5,369,869
(Grants, user fees, etc.)
Debt financing: $4,865,381
Assessment growth: $119,771
(0.83% growth projected by MPAC)
Total $ IN $26,185,061
Expenditures vs Revenues > revenue deficit ($5,514,020)
Page 7 DOES NOT demonstrate a balanced budget for 2026, as tabled.
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CAPITAL BUDGET Page 7 vs. Appendix A Data – fire truck now $300,000
Change #23 – aerial ladder truck from $2,600,000 in 2026 to $300,000 in 2026 as a deposit on purchase. Spread rest over to 2029 @ $900,000 per year
CAPITAL BUDGET APPENDIX A – Data [ NOTE: Item #23 is $300,000 for 2026]
NOTE: Total Capital expenditures have been reduced by $1,300,000 from tabled budget. Column 6 – bold. This reduces the unaccounted for Capital difference (analysis sheet on separate web page) from fire truck @ $2.6 million to $300,000 in 2026. The unccounted for difference was $2,176,040, it is now $123,960.
$ Amounts from Appendix A re. capital $ on page 7 are different >
2026 Budget Snapshot
Expenditures = $ OUT
Total operating expenditure: $18,156,686
Total capital expenditures: $11,918,435 [See Excel doc above, column 6, bold re. actuals. Generates a Capital surplus of $123,960.]
Reserve contributions: $1,500,000
Total $ OUT $31,575,121
Revenues = $ IN – as tabled
Township tax levy: $15,830,040 9.7 % increase over 2025 ($231 as tabled)
Non-taxation revenues: $5,369,869
(Grants, user fees, etc.)
Debt financing: $4,865,381
Assessment growth: $119,771
(0.83% growth projected by MPAC)
Total $ IN $26,185,061
Expenditures vs Revenues = ($5,390,060)
FIRE TRUCK CAPITAL REQUEST FORM AMENDMENT: Change the CAPITAL budget request #23 for a fire truck, and the deficit from tabled page 7, is reduced by $123,960. ($5,514,020 – $5,390,060 = $123,960). The revised levy demand moves to $21,220,100, a 13.00% increase – versus a tabled 9.7% increase. These numbers account ONLY for adjusting the fire truck from $2,600,000 in 2026 to $300,000 in 2026. (Further adjustments are attached to the main page.) It does not account for amounts not yet entered: 1) Nithview SWMF at $95,000, 2) the 2026 portion of item #26, Infrastructure, which the department head did not enter in the capital request form. 3) Also, unverified is the actual amount for item #22, as the request was not in standard form and it is uncertain exactly what is being requested. The $225,000 is a best guess, by myself and a C.P.A., when trying to interpret the report.
The Township’s budget documents, as made available to the public, are not fulsome, comprehensive, clear, logical or transparent. Significant amendments to form and content are required. The Township MUST take the time (2-3 weeks) to amend this total budget package for public review and comment to councillors.
Take the time to do this right!
THE MAYOR MUST PULL THIS PROPOSED BUDGET OFF THE TABLE, DEFER BUDGET POWERS TO “COUNCIL AS A BODY” IN A SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, AND THEN PROPOSE A “COUNCIL BUDGET” USING THE AMENDED DOCUMENTS AS ITS BASIS.
THIS MUST BE EXECUTED BEFORE FEBRUARY 1ST. CONSULT WITH YOUR LAWYER, SIGN THE DEFERAL OF POWERS MEMORANUM, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A TRANSPARENT, COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL FOR TAX PAYERS’ COMMENT.
(THE AUTHOR HAS PREPARED AND CAN PROVIDE A SAMPLE MEMORANDUM FOR COUNCIL’S CONSIDERATION.)
It is the author’s observation that the $2,600,000 capital request item #23 is probably a submitted reporting error from when Appendix A was compiled. It is the author’s hope that the capital budget request will be amended from the reported $2,600,000 in 2026, to a $300,000 entry to provide a fiscally responsible contingency amount to account for the potential need to make a deposit on the 2026 “order” of the aerial truck. The author has used $300,000 to represent a 10% deposit, anticipating increased costs maybe arising before final delivery. $300,000 in 2026, and $900,000 in each of 2027, 2028, and 2029 will account for a total request of $3 million. The budget as tabled needs to be amended such that the capital budget request form is changed to include a multi-year payment schedule (2026 to 2029) and the capital request for 2026 is clear and transparent as being only $300,000, not $2,600,000 as tabled in Appendix A.
[To balance the budget, with capital expenditures adjusted, an increase, in tabled Township tax levy of $5,390,060 is required. The total revenue required to balance the budget as adjusted for Capital is $21,220,100.]
Expenditures = $ OUT
Total operating expenditure: $18,156,686
Total capital expenditures: $11,918,435
Reserve contributions: $1,500,000
Total $ OUT $31,575,121
Revenues = $ IN – as needed to balance
Township tax levy: $21,220,100 13.00 % increase over 2025 ($309 versus $231 in tabled)
Non-taxation revenues: $5,369,869
(Grants, user fees, etc.)
Debt financing: $4,865,381
Assessment growth: $119,771
(0.83% growth projected by MPAC)