Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Burlington'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.
A clear, checkable guide to Burlington's budget, taxes and council decisions. A city on Lake Ontario in Halton Region, with six wards, one mayor and six ward councillors; new ward boundaries apply at the October 26, 2026 election. Every figure links back to the public record.
$80,128,000user fees and charges in 2025, against a budget of $30,712,000 (amounts as printed in thousands)
User fees and charges are what people and businesses pay directly for city services, such as recreation programs, transit fares, permits and recoveries from others. The 2025 audited statements show $80,128,000 of them, against a budget of $30,712,000 and $55,507,000 the year before. The statements split the money by service area but do not say what the extra money was. In that split (an image page in the statements), the Roads, parks and forestry column is larger than the other five service columns put together. The City’s own 2026 budget plans for only $25,892,000 of user fees and service charges in its operating budget.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
$77,721,000left in the development charges fund at the end of 2025, down from $85,421,000 (amounts as printed in thousands)
Development charges are fees builders pay when they build, kept in a separate fund that can only be used for the roads, parks and other things growth needs. In 2025 the fund received $6,835,000 and $1,959,000 of interest, and the City took out $16,494,000 to pay for projects (the statements call this "revenue recognized"). The balance fell by $7,700,000. The 2026 budget plans to use another $15,641,000 of development charges for capital projects.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$350Mthe gap between what the City says renewal needs ($1.22B) and what it is spending ($868M) over 10 years
The City owns $7.1 billion of roads, buildings, pipes and other assets. Its own budget book says renewing them on time takes $1.22 billion over 10 years, and current spending is $868 million, which "leaves a gap of $350M". The City adds a 2% infrastructure levy to the tax increase each year to help. In 2026 that levy raises $5,677,000 more, which the budget book shows as 2.14% of the tax levy. The City says average asset condition is "Good" but trending to "Fair".
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$2,600,000the hospital levy in 2025 and again in the 2026 budget, against a $60,000,000 promise with $58,597,000 contributed
In 2010 council promised $60,000,000 to the Joseph Brant Hospital expansion, to be paid from a dedicated tax levy. The 2025 statements say the City has contributed $58,597,000 — the same number as a year earlier — even though the levy of $2,600,000 was collected in both years. The 2026 budget again includes a "Provision for Joseph Brant Hospital" of $2,600,000. The statements do not say where the 2025 levy went.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 2 sources
5.8%stabilization reserves as a share of City revenues at December 2025, against the City’s own 10% to 15% target
A reserve is money a city sets aside for emergencies and future costs. The City’s 2026 budget book says its stabilization reserve funds (for unexpected costs) are at 5.8% of its own revenues, against a target of 10% to 15%. It says its capital reserve funds (for replacing buildings and equipment) hold about $40.3 million, against a $143 million target. The audited statements show the total in reserve funds fell from $140,425,000 to $135,605,000 in 2025, while a line the statements call "Unfunded" grew from $(163,480,000) to $(174,465,000). During the 2026 budget, council also lowered the yearly top-ups to the Contingency and Insurance reserve funds by $50,000 each.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
2 yearsof council pay and expense statements (2024 and 2025) we could not find on the City’s page
Every year a city must publish what each member of council was paid and reimbursed. Burlington’s page for this lists a remuneration statement and an expenses statement for each year from 2020 to 2023. On October 5, 2026 we found none for 2024 or 2025. The 2023 remuneration statement lists pay by title, not by person: the Mayor $202,712 in total (Region portion $54,958, City portion $147,754) and each Councillor $120,602 (Region portion $54,958, City portion $65,644).
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
Burlington spent $66.7M on roads and snow in 2019 and $116M in 2025. Prices only went up about 21% in that time. Only 1 of 7 similar places had faster growth here.
Found automatically from the city's financial reports · 3 sources
$124,555,000long-term debt at the end of 2025, up from $114,966,000 (amounts as printed in thousands)
Long-term debt was $114,403,000 at the end of 2023, $114,966,000 at the end of 2024 and $124,555,000 at the end of 2025. New debt was $54,740,000 in 2023, $17,000,000 in 2024 and $24,460,000 in 2025, and the 2025 budget had planned the same $24,460,000. The City’s 2026 budget plans to pay for $10,350,000 of capital projects with debt. The City says its debt payments are well below its own limit of 12.5% of net revenue.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
Where your tax bill goes
A property tax bill in Burlington pays for three governments. Only part of it goes to the city, and that part is what Burlington council controls.
Tax bill split: Burlington 48%, Halton Region 31%, Schools 21%
$558Mraised in 2025
Burlington48%
Halton Region31%
Schools21%
How Burlington's share of the bill compares with similar places
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