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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Greater Sudbury'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 Greater Sudbury'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: $891M

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

43%

25%

19%

Property taxes$389M43%
Grants for specific projects$220M25%
Fees people pay$169M19%
Other$71.1M8%
Everything else$45.6M5%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$389,400,379	43.5%
Grants for specific projects	$220,350,734	24.6%
Fees people pay	$168,852,575	18.9%
Other	$71,137,437	7.9%
Everything else	$45,645,830	5.1%
Total	$895,386,955	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: $738M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $84.1M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

19%

14%

13%

24%

Running the city office$60.5M8%
Police, fire and safety$141M19%
Roads and snow$106M14%
Water, sewers and garbage$98.5M13%
Health$47.7M6%
Social services$175M24%
Housing$39M5%
Parks, arena and library$53M7%
Planning and business$17M2%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$60,500,238	8.2%
Police, fire and safety	$141,048,305	19.1%
Roads and snow	$105,916,906	14.3%
Water, sewers and garbage	$98,461,405	13.3%
Health	$47,727,921	6.5%
Social services	$175,409,832	23.8%
Housing	$39,026,668	5.3%
Parks, arena and library	$52,981,107	7.2%
Planning and business	$17,048,014	2.3%
Total	$738,120,397	100%

Social services

$175M

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

+54% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Seniors$63.9M+67%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Child care$61.8M+115%
Daycare and early learning.
Income support$49.8M+6%
Help for people with very low income.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Seniors	$63,862,454	+67.0%
Child care	$61,796,553	+115.1%
Income support	$49,750,826	+6.0%

Police, fire and safety

$141M

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

+42% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$86.4M+40%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$36.9M+36%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$6.3M+183%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Building permits$4.9M+52%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Court security$3.3M+52%
Security at the courthouse.
Conservation authority$1.4M+44%
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.
Traffic court$1.0M−17%
Handling tickets and fines.
Prisoner transport$822K+40%
Moving people held by police.
Emergency planning$39,277
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$86,438,295	+40.3%
Fire department	$36,881,247	+35.6%
By-law and animal control	$6,278,941	+182.5%
Building permits	$4,880,557	+52.3%
Court security	$3,295,268	+52.0%
Conservation authority	$1,372,632	+43.9%
Traffic court	$1,039,889	−16.5%
Prisoner transport	$822,199	+40.4%
Emergency planning	$39,277	–

Roads and snow

$106M

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

+23% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Snow ploughing$29.7M+29%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Public transit$28.3M+23%
Buses.
Paved roads$20.4M+21%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Roadsides and signs$9.5M+39%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Accessible transit$4.0M+16%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Airport$3.5M+27%
A local airport or airstrip.
Gravel roads$3.3M+36%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Bridges and culverts$2.7M+38%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Street lights$2.0M−36%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Sidewalk snow$1.9M+6%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Parking$721K−19%
City parking lots and meters.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Snow ploughing	$29,687,454	+28.8%
Public transit	$28,349,305	+22.7%
Paved roads	$20,350,406	+21.3%
Roadsides and signs	$9,487,812	+38.5%
Accessible transit	$4,004,890	+15.8%
Airport	$3,472,615	+26.6%
Gravel roads	$3,253,136	+35.6%
Bridges and culverts	$2,693,921	+37.9%
Street lights	$2,037,022	−35.7%
Sidewalk snow	$1,859,092	+6.4%
Parking	$721,253	−18.9%

Water, sewers and garbage

$98.5M

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

+31% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Sewage treatment$20.9M+26%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
The dump (landfill)$15.4M+70%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Water treatment$15.2M+46%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Water pipes$14.6M+25%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Recycling$13.3M+30%
Recycling and composting.
Sewer pipes$10.3M+43%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Garbage pickup$4.7M−33%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Storm drains$2.3M+42%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Rural drainage$1.1M+38%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.
Other environment$595K−16%
Other environmental costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Sewage treatment	$20,901,872	+26.2%
The dump (landfill)	$15,427,383	+70.1%
Water treatment	$15,173,148	+46.2%
Water pipes	$14,613,292	+24.8%
Recycling	$13,334,609	+29.8%
Sewer pipes	$10,293,633	+43.0%
Garbage pickup	$4,686,850	−33.0%
Storm drains	$2,288,159	+42.0%
Rural drainage	$1,147,389	+37.9%
Other environment	$595,070	−16.2%

Running the city office

$60.5M

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.

+31% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$28.2M+44%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$25M+6%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$7.2M+169%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$28,242,008	+43.6%
Senior management	$25,036,973	+5.6%
Council	$7,221,257	+169.4%

Parks, arena and library

$53M

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

+36% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Arena and buildings$22.7M+45%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Parks$13.2M+27%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Library$9.6M+43%
The public library.
Programs$3.3M+53%
Classes, camps and activities.
Arts and culture$2.5M+25%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Golf, marina, ski hill$1.1M+13%
City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Museums$566K−45%
Local museums.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Arena and buildings	$22,690,540	+45.4%
Parks	$13,218,197	+26.7%
Library	$9,557,175	+43.1%
Programs	$3,335,959	+52.9%
Arts and culture	$2,476,726	+25.1%
Golf, marina, ski hill	$1,136,229	+12.5%
Museums	$566,281	−44.5%

Health

$47.7M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+66% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$27.8M+36%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$9.6M+51%
Health inspections and programs.
Cemeteries$5.9M+179%
Looking after city cemeteries.
Other health$4.0M
Other health costs.
Hospitals$476K
Money given to hospitals.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$27,788,976	+36.5%
Public health	$9,568,314	+51.4%
Cemeteries	$5,906,730	+179.2%
Other health	$3,992,862	–
Hospitals	$475,669	–

Housing

$39M

Affordable and social housing.

+10% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public housing$18.4M+3%
Homes owned by government.
Non-profit housing$12.1M+2%
Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.
Other housing$1.3M+10%
Other housing costs.
Rent help$592K−18%
Help paying rent.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public housing	$18,430,696	+3.4%
Non-profit housing	$12,057,441	+2.1%
Other housing	$1,347,272	+9.8%
Rent help	$591,594	−17.9%

Planning and business

$17M

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

+52% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Planning and zoning$7.5M+61%
Deciding what can be built where.
Business and tourism$6.2M+39%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Farms and forests$3.3M+59%
Programs for farms and forests.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Planning and zoning	$7,496,980	+61.1%
Business and tourism	$6,235,146	+39.4%
Farms and forests	$3,315,888	+58.9%

What the money bought

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

Staff pay and benefits$369M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Outside companies$148M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Supplies and utilities$143M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Money given to others$64M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Interest on loans$9.9M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.
Rent and money costs$4.1M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$369,439,092
Outside companies	$148,091,755
Supplies and utilities	$142,715,368
Money given to others	$63,951,400
Interest on loans	$9,850,028
Rent and money costs	$4,072,753

Staff

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

Year	Full-time	Part-time
2019	2032	497
2020	2074	505
2021	2096	507
2022	2104	505
2023	2153	494
2024	2244	513.7
2025	2273	540.1

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.

$891M

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$654M	$535M
2020	$670M	$527M
2021	$693M	$543M
2022	$734M	$603M
2023	$815M	$645M
2024	$857M	$674M
2025	$891M	$738M

City property tax

Up 38% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$389M

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$283M
2020	$298M
2021	$312M
2022	$326M
2023	$343M
2024	$366M
2025	$389M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$279M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$139M
2020	$157M
2021	$186M
2022	$195M
2023	$221M
2024	$248M
2025	$279M

What the city owes

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

$300M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$70.3M	$0
2020	$262M	$0
2021	$249M	$0
2022	$338M	$0
2023	$326M	$0
2024	$312M	$0
2025	$300M	$0

Building new things

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

$99M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$162M	$75.6M
2020	$126M	$78.5M
2021	$95.6M	$80.1M
2022	$119M	$81.3M
2023	$115M	$82.8M
2024	$142M	$84M
2025	$99M	$84.1M

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.