Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026Details

This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you
Read by hand. We read Barrie's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.

The money · 2025

How Barrie's money works

A city is a bit like a household. Money comes in (mostly taxes and grants), and money goes out to pay for services like roads, fire trucks and the arena. Here is what that looked like in 2025, the latest year the city has reported to the Province.

Why 2025 and not this year? A budget is a plan. These figures are what actually happened, checked by an auditor and reported to Ontario.

Money in: $726M

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

46%

12%

17%

21%

Property taxes$330M46%
Grants for specific projects$88.2M12%
Fees people pay$119M17%
Other$149M21%
Everything else$30.1M4%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$330,478,039	46.1%
Grants for specific projects	$88,213,837	12.3%
Fees people pay	$119,181,966	16.6%
Other	$149,453,048	20.8%
Everything else	$30,101,709	4.2%
Total	$717,428,599	100%

What each source means

Property taxes: What home and business owners pay each year, based on what their property is worth.
Grants for specific projects: Money from Ontario or Canada that must be spent on a certain thing, often a road or building.
Fees people pay: Water and sewer bills, dump fees, arena rentals, permits and similar charges.
Other: Interest earned, donations, sales of land and equipment.

Money out: $474M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $72.9M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

13%

35%

15%

17%

Running the city office$60M13%
Police, fire and safety$167M35%
Roads and snow$68.8M15%
Water, sewers and garbage$78.2M17%
Health$13.8M3%
Social services$11.6M2%
Housing$13.1M3%
Parks, arena and library$43.1M9%
Planning and business$18.3M4%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$59,960,798	12.7%
Police, fire and safety	$166,814,722	35.2%
Roads and snow	$68,772,311	14.5%
Water, sewers and garbage	$78,169,766	16.5%
Health	$13,818,602	2.9%
Social services	$11,617,655	2.5%
Housing	$13,146,155	2.8%
Parks, arena and library	$43,086,325	9.1%
Planning and business	$18,285,224	3.9%
Total	$473,671,558	100%

Police, fire and safety

$167M

Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.

+55% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$72.7M+16%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$40.2M+40%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
Emergency planning$30.9M
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Traffic court$7.9M+35%
Handling tickets and fines.
Building permits$5.2M+75%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Court security$5.0M+31%
Security at the courthouse.
By-law and animal control$2.8M+35%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Conservation authority$2.1M+20%
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$72,716,495	+15.9%
Fire department	$40,223,965	+40.3%
Emergency planning	$30,867,228	–
Traffic court	$7,907,301	+35.4%
Building permits	$5,194,833	+75.1%
Court security	$5,028,466	+31.0%
By-law and animal control	$2,811,188	+34.5%
Conservation authority	$2,065,246	+20.1%

Water, sewers and garbage

$78.2M

Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.

+41% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Water pipes$18.2M+84%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Sewage treatment$16.9M+3%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Recycling$13M+260%
Recycling and composting.
Sewer pipes$11.2M+101%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Water treatment$10.2M−25%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Storm drains$5.4M+41%
Drains that carry away rain water.
The dump (landfill)$2.3M
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Garbage pickup$829K−76%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Other environment$105K
Other environmental costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Water pipes	$18,163,891	+84.5%
Sewage treatment	$16,947,679	+2.7%
Recycling	$13,015,284	+260.1%
Sewer pipes	$11,246,360	+101.5%
Water treatment	$10,204,717	−24.6%
Storm drains	$5,387,712	+41.2%
The dump (landfill)	$2,270,560	–
Garbage pickup	$828,956	−75.9%
Other environment	$104,607	–

Roads and snow

$68.8M

Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.

+49% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public transit$25.7M+32%
Buses.
Paved roads$11.6M+79%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Snow ploughing$10.6M+38%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Roadsides and signs$9.2M+60%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Sidewalk snow$4.8M
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Parking$2.9M+13%
City parking lots and meters.
Accessible transit$1.4M+14%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Other transportation$1.2M+115%
Other transportation costs.
Bridges and culverts$1.2M+45%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Street lights$83,232−29%
Power and repairs for street lights.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public transit	$25,665,392	+32.1%
Paved roads	$11,595,996	+78.9%
Snow ploughing	$10,582,741	+38.4%
Roadsides and signs	$9,164,855	+59.7%
Sidewalk snow	$4,834,809	–
Parking	$2,949,564	+12.6%
Accessible transit	$1,431,491	+13.9%
Other transportation	$1,241,550	+115.3%
Bridges and culverts	$1,222,681	+45.2%
Street lights	$83,232	−29.0%

Running the city office

$60M

Council, managers, the clerk, accounting, computers, insurance and the city hall itself. Every city needs some of this, but it does not fix a road or put out a fire.

+57% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$34.4M+35%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$21.9M+98%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$3.6M+124%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$34,444,775	+35.0%
Senior management	$21,919,525	+97.7%
Council	$3,596,498	+123.6%

Parks, arena and library

$43.1M

Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.

+18% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Arena and buildings$11M+1%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Programs$10.3M+59%
Classes, camps and activities.
Library$9.9M+31%
The public library.
Parks$7.1M+13%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Arts and culture$3.6M−12%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Golf, marina, ski hill$1.1M+7%
City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Museums$129K+14%
Local museums.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Arena and buildings	$11,014,145	+1.3%
Programs	$10,280,912	+58.5%
Library	$9,887,019	+31.0%
Parks	$7,094,980	+13.5%
Arts and culture	$3,619,295	−12.1%
Golf, marina, ski hill	$1,061,248	+7.4%
Museums	$128,726	+13.8%

Planning and business

$18.3M

Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to city.

+244% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Planning and zoning$16.7M+515%
Deciding what can be built where.
Business and tourism$1.2M−53%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
New housing$371K
Helping new homes get built.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Planning and zoning	$16,698,746	+515.3%
Business and tourism	$1,215,421	−53.3%
New housing	$371,057	–

Health

$13.8M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+65% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$11.5M+76%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$2.3M+25%
Health inspections and programs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$11,506,861	+75.7%
Public health	$2,311,741	+25.1%

Housing

$13.1M

Affordable and social housing.

+125% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public housing$13.1M+125%
Homes owned by government.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public housing	$13,146,155	+124.6%

Social services

$11.6M

Help for people and families who need it, and child care.

+85% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Seniors$4.7M+249%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$3.9M+24%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$3.1M+72%
Daycare and early learning.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Seniors	$4,655,163	+249.4%
Income support	$3,903,618	+23.6%
Child care	$3,058,874	+71.5%

What the money bought

The same 2025 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.

Staff pay and benefits$229M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Outside companies$128M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Money given to others$55.3M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Supplies and utilities$39.3M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Rent and money costs$11.3M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Interest on loans$9.9M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$229,389,200
Outside companies	$128,455,783
Money given to others	$55,311,881
Supplies and utilities	$39,300,315
Rent and money costs	$11,305,112
Interest on loans	$9,909,267

Staff

People on the city's payroll at the end of each year, as reported to the Province.

Year	Full-time	Part-time	Seasonal
2019	1336	120	6
2020	1355	114	3
2021	1372	112	0
2022	1375	122	2
2023	1416	122	1
2024	1450	160	1
2025	1497	160	324

How things have changed since 2019

Money in compared with day-to-day spending, each year. When the orange line is above the blue one, the city spent more than it took in and made up the difference from savings or loans. Grants for big projects arrive in some years and not others, which makes "money in" jump around.

$726M

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$441M	$310M
2020	$453M	$321M
2021	$475M	$339M
2022	$596M	$345M
2023	$595M	$394M
2024	$605M	$410M
2025	$726M	$474M

City property tax

Up 38% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$330M

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$239M
2020	$250M
2021	$255M
2022	$269M
2023	$284M
2024	$306M
2025	$330M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$306M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$142M
2020	$170M
2021	$203M
2022	$220M
2023	$238M
2024	$294M
2025	$306M

What the city owes

Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.

$248M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$326M	$0
2020	$316M	$0
2021	$335M	$0
2022	$331M	$0
2023	$303M	$0
2024	$275M	$0
2025	$248M	$0

Building new things

Spending on new or rebuilt roads, pipes, buildings and equipment, compared with how fast existing ones wear out.

$257M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$60.4M	$57.6M
2020	$169M	$57.8M
2021	$168M	$63M
2022	$214M	$65.7M
2023	$179M	$68.6M
2024	$146M	$70.6M
2025	$257M	$72.9M

Source: Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), Schedules 10, 40, 51, 60, 70, 74 and 80 (archived copy). Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Retrieved 2026-10-01. Figures are what the municipality reported to the Province for each year, prepared on the same basis as its audited financial statements.