FAQs
Where do your property taxes go?
For every dollar of property tax you pay, roughly $0.53 goes to the Town of Aylmer, $0.38 goes to the County of Elgin, and $0.09 goes to local school boards. The Town uses these funds for local needs like road repairs, snow clearing, parks, recreation facilities, police, and fire services. The County funds wider regional services like county roads, social services, and library services. The education portion is set by the province to support area schools.
What are the Town's sources of income?
Aylmer's revenue comes from three main streams: property taxes, user fees, and grants or other funds. User fees include things like water and sewer bills, buildingpermits, recreation program fees, and facility rentals. Operating grants and contributions are funds the Town receives from other levels of government to support services. An example of this is the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. There are also obligatory funds such as gas tax revenues or infrastructure funds that can only be used for specific purposes.
What is asset management and why does it matter?
Asset management is the Town's plan to take care of things like roads, water pipes, sewers, buildings, and parks. It's also deciding when to repair or replace them.
The challenge every municipality faces is an "infrastructure gap": the cost of fixing or replacing infrastructure is growing faster than the money available to pay for it. Years of tight budgets and growing needs in many Ontario towns, including Aylmer, mean there is a backlog of work. The Town is developing a plan to tackle this infrastructure deficit in upcoming budgets so that our roads, bridges, and facilities don't fall into disrepair.
Why does growth matter for Aylmer's budget?
New development like houses, apartments, and businesses bring in new taxpayers and revenue, which helps spread the cost of services over more people. When Aylmer grows, the local tax base increases, meaning there are more contributors to help pay for roads, parks, and other services.
There’s also a benefit in how development is financed. When developers build new subdivisions or commercial areas, they pay fees (like development charges) that go toward new infrastructure, like water lines, sidewalks, and road expansions so that existing residents aren’t paying the full cost for those new services.
Of course, growth has to be managed: new homes and businesses also mean some new costs such as more wear on roads and the need for increasing emergency services coverage. But Aylmer plans for this by ensuring development is accompanied by investments from those who build and live here.
What are reserves and why are they part of the budget?
Reserves are essentially the Town’s savings funds for future projects and unexpected costs.
There are different types of reserves. Some are obligatory or restricted funds that can only be used for specific purposes and others are more general savings.
For example, the money collected from your water and sewer bills goes into a dedicated reserve fund for the water and wastewater systems. It can only be used to repair, upgrade, or expand those utilities. Similarly, developers might contribute to reserve funds for park development or infrastructure through their fees, and those funds must be used for those intended purposes.
Why are reserves so important? They help smooth out the budget and avoid sharp tax increases.
As an example, Aylmer receives a share of the Federal Gas Tax (now called the Canada Community-Building Fund) each year and must spend it on infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, or water systems, essentially treating it as an obligatory reserve for those purposes.
Overall, having reserves is about saving today so we can handle the costs of tomorrow.
What role do grants play in Aylmer's budget?
Grants are an important part of Aylmer’s budget strategy. They help fund major projects while keeping costs lower for local taxpayers.
The Town, Council, and staff work hard to secure grants and funding from the provincial and federal governments (and sometimes other partners) to help pay for major projects.
In recent years, Aylmer has been very successful in obtaining grants. For example, in 2024 the Town received about $4.56 million from the Ontario government’s Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund to upgrade our wastewater treatment lagoons. That grant is helping to improve the sanitary system to support new housing development without Aylmer having to borrow or raise all that money locally.
Another big win for the Town was funding for a new water tower. Through federal and provincial investing in Canada’s Infrastructure Program, upper levels of government are covering roughly two-thirds of the cost of Aylmer’s new water tower. Out of a roughly $5 million water tower replacement, grants will pay about $3.7 million.
While grants can help lower local costs, they’re not guaranteed. They’re competitive, come with strict conditions, and can’t replace careful long-term financial planning.
The key point is external funding can fast-track important projects and reduce local costs.
Why does Aylmer borrow money?
, Aylmer sometimes borrows money to fund major projects and those loan payments become part of the town’s annual budget.
Taking on debt allows the Town to build or fix something now and spread the cost over many years, rather than paying it all at once. This makes sense for long-life assets.
If we build a new water tower or community center that will serve residents for decades, it’s fair that not only today’s taxpayers but also future beneficiaries help pay for it over time.
Aylmer’s Council only approves borrowing when needed and in a responsible way. Ontario law sets limits on how much a town can borrow and mandates that annual debt payments remain below a certain threshold of the Town’s revenues to ensure financial health.
A recent example is the water tower replacement. Council authorized a funding strategy mixing reserves, grants, and some debt to finance this crucial project.
By using debt prudently along with grants and reserves, Aylmer can tackle necessary improvements while keeping annual budgets manageable.
What goes into building Aylmer's annual budget?
Each year, Aylmer creates a budget that acts like a financial roadmap for the year ahead.
It starts with staff in each department – like public works, parks, and fire – reviewing what’s needed to maintain services and what new projects they’d like to propose.
They estimate the costs for operations – like wages, supplies, and fuel – as well as capital projects, like replacing watermains or buying new equipment. At the same time, staff forecast revenue from property taxes, user fees, and grants.
By law, the Town must balance the budget. We can’t spend more than we bring in. So, just like a family budget, we have to prioritize.
Staff and the Mayor compile a draft, and then Council gets to work asking questions like: Do we fix a road or replace a program? Expand recreation programs or repave sidewalks? Council debates these choices in public meetings often held in late fall or winter and makes adjustments based on public input.
The final budget covers both operating costs like keeping services running and capital costs like building or buying major assets. The two work together: if we build a new park, we also need to fund its upkeep.
Once approved, the budget guides what gets done and how we pay for it. And if things change, Council can make updates throughout the year.
How can you get involved in the budget process?
Each year, usually in the fall or winter, Aylmer invites residents to get involved. You can start by staying informed. Watch for updates on the Town’s website and social media about budget meetings, presentations, or surveys.
Council meetings about the budget are open to the public. You can attend in person at Town Hall, watch online, or check out meeting recordings.
The Town offers a budget survey asking what services you prioritize. Take the survey today at aylmer.ca/budget
Want to go further? You can speak at a Council meeting, or just send an email or call a Councillor to share your ideas. Every bit of feedback helps.
The bottom line: your input helps shape what gets funded in Aylmer. Whether it’s through a survey, a quick message to Council, or attending a public meeting, your voice is part of the process.
Everyone has a voice. Let’s build Aylmer’s future together.