Following the submission of budgets by North Hatley and surrounding municipalities, I compared the budgetary burden on residents of surrounding municipalities for the year 2025.
It is important to note that these are the municipalities’ 2025 budgets, as the actual data will only be available when the audited financial reports are submitted in July 2026, which will limit the comparison with actual results for the time being. However, municipal budgets should, as a general rule, remain very close to actual results.
Of course, municipalities have to deal with different populations, infrastructure, and unforeseen events that can affect spending budgets.
Highlights of the analysis
- Administrative costs are approximately 25% in several municipalities, including North Hatley.
- North Hatley’s per capita administrative costs are the highest of all surrounding municipalities. They are up to four times higher.
- Per capita municipal debt is very low in all municipalities except North Hatley.
Explanatory factors
North Hatley, avec sa petite population, doit sans doute gérer et maintenir des infrastructures importantes, ce qui pourrait justifier des budgets de dépenses, des frais d’administration et un endettement beaucoup plus important par habitant.
Comparison of municipalities (2025)
You can view the budgets of the municipalities by clicking on the name of each one below.
| Ayer’s Cliff | Canton de hatley | North Hatley | Hatley | St-Catherine de Hatley | |
| Number of inhabitants (2021) | 1180 | 2230 | 700 | 700 | 2741 |
| Annual costs for the population | |||||
| Administrative fees | 691 886 $ | 625 477 $ | 870 424 $ | 493 221 $ | 671 580 $ |
| Expenditures (including debt) | 2 834 733 $ | 5 162 692 $ | 4 351 607 $ | 2 011 657 $ | 4 703 926 $ |
| Debt repayment | 117 295 $ | 180 877 $ | 986 171$ | 95 861 $ | 427 033 $ |
| Expenditures (excluding debt) | 2 717 439 $ | 4 981 815 $ | 3 365 436 $ | 1 915 796 $ | 4 276 893 $ |
| Administrative expenses (excluding debt) | 25,46% | 12,56% | 24,77% | 25,74% | 15,70% |
| Annual costs per capita | |||||
| Administrative fees | 586 $ | 280 $ | 1 243 $ | 705 $ | 245 $ |
| Expenditures (excluding debt) | 2 303 $ | 2 234 $ | 5 807 $ | 2 737 $ | 1 560 $ |
| Expenditures (including debt) | 2402$ | 2315$ | 6207$ | 2874$ | 1716$ |
| Debt repayment | 99 $ | 81 $ | 1409 $ | 137 $ | 156 $ |
| Annual fees per household | |||||
| Homes (private housing) | 531 | 895 | 320 | 340 | 1175 |
| Administrative fees | 1303$ | 699$ | 2720$ | 1451$ | 572$ |
| Municipal debt | 221 | 202 | 3081$ | 281$ | 156$ |
| Annual income | 2 834 733$ | 5 031 154$ | 4 351 607$ | 2 243 867$ | 4 703 926$ |
| Per household | 5 338$ | 5621$ | 13 599$ | 6599$ | 4003$ |
| Per capita | 2402$ | 2256$ | 6217$ | 3205$ | 1716$ |
Conclusion
An analysis of annual per capita expenditures shows that North Hatley residents bear a significantly higher financial burden than residents of other municipalities. However, if municipal debt is excluded, the financial burden on North Hatley residents is closer to the average. However, administrative costs remain higher in North Hatley than in all other municipalities studied, despite a population that is up to three times smaller. In 2025, administrative costs per citizen per year are $1,243. The projected annual administrative costs for the entire population in 2026 are $922,837, or $1,318 per capita and $2,884 per household (page 10 of the budget).
Despite this, North Hatley has the highest revenues of all the municipalities compared, with $6,217 per capita and $13,599 per household, thanks to taxes, municipal services, a borrowing bylaw, and other revenues (page 8 of the budget).
On that note, happy thinking!
Définitions
General administration:
Refers to all management and organizational activities necessary for the functioning of an organization or community, including planning, coordination, monitoring, and supervision of various functions.
Administrative costs:
These are expenses related to the day-to-day management of an organization or community, such as administrative staff salaries, office supplies, accounting or legal services, and other operating costs not directly related to specific production or services.
Administrative expenses:
Often used as a synonym for “administration costs,” these represent the costs incurred for the general operation and management of an organization, as distinct from operational or production costs.
