Seeing your tax dollars at work is as simple as going to your local park or arena, having your household waste picked up at the curbside, having snow removed from your road or even grass cut along the roadside - these are all great examples of the things that we all depend on as we move through our day-to-day activities.
Development Charges
What Are Development Charges?
Development charges are fees collected by municipalities when new residential or non-residential buildings are constructed. These charges help fund the infrastructure needed to support growth, such as roads and water and wastewater services.
Development charges are governed by the Development Charges Act, 1997, which sets out what services can be funded, how charges are calculated, and how they are applied. Charges are based on detailed studies that forecast future growth and identify the capital costs needed to serve that growth.
Funds collected through development charges can only be used for eligible growth-related projects and must be spent in accordance with provincial legislation.
Development Charges Background Study
In accordance with the requirements of the Development Charges Act, 1997, as amended, this study provides the legislative, technical, and financial analysis required to support the review and update of municipal development charges and related policies.
The study was prepared by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. in collaboration with municipal staff. It explains the legislative framework for development charges, outlines the recommended charges, and describes how they are calculated.
The Background Study is shared with the public as part of the approval process. It is intended to provide residents, developers and other interested parties with clear information about the proposed charges, rules that govern their application, and how they would be implemented if approved.
About Municipal Budgeting
The budget estimates the amount of money that will be raised through taxation and user fees to be spent on public initiatives. The operating budget is an important tool for planning the day-to-day expenses of the township, while the capital budget allocates funds towards the construction and maintenance of capital assets such as roads and bridges.
Asset Management and Long-Term Financial Planning
Adequate municipal infrastructure-such as roads, bridges, and underground water and sewage pipes-are essential to economic development, citizen safety, and quality of life. The majority of public infrastructure in Canada is the responsibility of the municipal government. Good asset management results in informed and strategically sound decisions that optimize investments, better manage risk - including risk of infrastructure failure - and take into account the potential impact of other factors, such as climate change.
Asset Management Plans are currently based on the guidelines provided in the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure's Building Together Guide for Municipal Asset Management Plans.
- Asset Management Plan (council approved June 4, 2025)
- Asset Management Policy (June 4, 2025)
Financial Reports and Annual Salary Disclosure
Southwest Middlesex's Audited Financial Statements are compiled and audited annually according to Public Sector Accounting Board standards. We encourage you to read the financial statements provided below.
- 2024 Audited Financial Statement
- 2023 Audited Financial Statement
- 2022 Audited Financial Statement
- 2021 Audited Financial Statement
- 2020 Audited Financial Statement
- 2019 Audited Financial Statement
- 2018 Audited Financial Statement
- 2017 Audited Financial Statement
Annual Salary Disclosure information for Southwest Middlesex and all of Ontario is found on the Ontario Government webpage for salary disclosure for the public sector.
Grant Application for Volunteer Organizations
Volunteer organizations can apply for funding through the Council grant program. Please ensure that applications are submitted by the due date on the application form to be considered for available support opportunities. Applications must be submitted by midnight on November 30th, 2025 to: Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, 153 McKellar Street, Glencoe ON N0L 1M0 or email to @email
Please note that a grant in any year is not considered to be a commitment by SWM to continue such assistance in future years. It is not the intent of this grant program to become an annual component of an organizations budget plan.