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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Guelph'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 Guelph'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: $756M

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

48%

19%

20%

11%

Property taxes$356M48%
Grants for specific projects$140M19%
Fees people pay$147M20%
Other$79.3M11%
Everything else$22.1M3%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$355,518,348	47.8%
Grants for specific projects	$139,729,344	18.8%
Fees people pay	$147,384,374	19.8%
Other	$79,272,844	10.7%
Everything else	$22,050,170	3.0%
Total	$743,955,080	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: $559M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $63.8M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

10%

22%

15%

12%

10%

Running the city office$58.7M10%
Police, fire and safety$125M22%
Roads and snow$83.7M15%
Water, sewers and garbage$66.9M12%
Health$47.9M9%
Social services$69.4M12%
Housing$40.7M7%
Parks, arena and library$56.9M10%
Planning and business$10.7M2%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$58,682,883	10.5%
Police, fire and safety	$124,629,253	22.3%
Roads and snow	$83,695,791	15.0%
Water, sewers and garbage	$66,868,871	12.0%
Health	$47,948,559	8.6%
Social services	$69,361,018	12.4%
Housing	$40,688,931	7.3%
Parks, arena and library	$56,898,093	10.2%
Planning and business	$10,700,198	1.9%
Total	$559,473,597	100%

Police, fire and safety

$125M

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

+45% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$70M+50%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$35.4M+30%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$7.3M−7%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Building permits$4.2M+2,756%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Traffic court$3.7M+60%
Handling tickets and fines.
Court security$2.2M+45%
Security at the courthouse.
Conservation authority$1.8M
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.
Prisoner transport$29,170+7%
Moving people held by police.
Emergency planning$28,858+3%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$70,046,769	+50.2%
Fire department	$35,395,875	+29.7%
By-law and animal control	$7,310,068	−7.4%
Building permits	$4,173,338	+2,755.7%
Traffic court	$3,651,244	+60.4%
Court security	$2,156,536	+45.2%
Conservation authority	$1,837,395	–
Prisoner transport	$29,170	+7.2%
Emergency planning	$28,858	+3.2%

Roads and snow

$83.7M

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

+40% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public transit$42.4M+47%
Buses.
Roadsides and signs$20.3M+56%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Paved roads$10.7M+51%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Parking$3.8M+44%
City parking lots and meters.
Snow ploughing$1.9M−40%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Accessible transit$1.9M+42%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Street lights$1.7M−19%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Sidewalk snow$798K−10%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Bridges and culverts$293K
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public transit	$42,409,730	+46.9%
Roadsides and signs	$20,272,761	+56.4%
Paved roads	$10,683,096	+51.4%
Parking	$3,793,454	+43.6%
Snow ploughing	$1,860,853	−40.1%
Accessible transit	$1,851,807	+41.9%
Street lights	$1,733,601	−19.4%
Sidewalk snow	$797,507	−10.3%
Bridges and culverts	$292,982	–

Social services

$69.4M

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

+55% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Child care$27.6M+58%
Daycare and early learning.
Seniors$25.2M+71%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$16.5M+32%
Help for people with very low income.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Child care	$27,607,921	+57.8%
Seniors	$25,248,472	+70.6%
Income support	$16,504,625	+32.2%

Water, sewers and garbage

$66.9M

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

+19% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Water treatment$17.4M+18%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Sewage treatment$9.8M+28%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Sewer pipes$9.4M+26%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Garbage pickup$8.6M+25%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Recycling$7.7M−27%
Recycling and composting.
Water pipes$5.2M+45%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
The dump (landfill)$5.2M+28%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Storm drains$3.6M+336%
Drains that carry away rain water.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Water treatment	$17,390,779	+18.2%
Sewage treatment	$9,764,818	+27.6%
Sewer pipes	$9,432,172	+25.5%
Garbage pickup	$8,633,726	+25.3%
Recycling	$7,710,829	−27.0%
Water pipes	$5,184,589	+45.4%
The dump (landfill)	$5,155,330	+28.3%
Storm drains	$3,596,628	+335.7%

Running the city office

$58.7M

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$46.3M+80%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$8.9M+6%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$3.5M+12%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$46,348,550	+79.6%
Senior management	$8,863,525	+6.1%
Council	$3,470,808	+11.9%

Parks, arena and library

$56.9M

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

+36% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Parks$13.7M+41%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Library$11.7M+30%
The public library.
Arts and culture$11.4M+53%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Arena and buildings$11.1M+23%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Programs$7.4M+62%
Classes, camps and activities.
Museums$1.5M+12%
Local museums.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Parks	$13,736,779	+41.1%
Library	$11,710,877	+29.8%
Arts and culture	$11,361,986	+52.8%
Arena and buildings	$11,135,055	+22.6%
Programs	$7,409,383	+61.9%
Museums	$1,544,013	+11.7%

Health

$47.9M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+51% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$34.7M+75%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$13.3M+15%
Health inspections and programs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$34,660,689	+75.0%
Public health	$13,287,870	+14.5%

Housing

$40.7M

Affordable and social housing.

+72% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public housing$40.7M+72%
Homes owned by government.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public housing	$40,688,143	+72.2%

Planning and business

$10.7M

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

+24% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Planning and zoning$6.9M+14%
Deciding what can be built where.
Business and tourism$3.8M+55%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Planning and zoning	$6,908,269	+13.6%
Business and tourism	$3,791,929	+54.5%

What the money bought

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

Staff pay and benefits$328M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Money given to others$97.7M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Outside companies$72M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Supplies and utilities$42.5M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Rent and money costs$14.8M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Interest on loans$4.0M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$328,487,844
Money given to others	$97,650,201
Outside companies	$72,047,197
Supplies and utilities	$42,479,520
Rent and money costs	$14,842,364
Interest on loans	$3,966,471

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	1815.7	649.3	486
2020	1893.22	367.22	125.81
2021	1903.22	855.07	55
2022	1903.22	855.07	55
2023	1974	961.9	118
2024	2147.5	871	109
2025	2191.5	961	105

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.

$756M

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$527M	$389M
2020	$491M	$390M
2021	$524M	$413M
2022	$560M	$459M
2023	$597M	$488M
2024	$698M	$531M
2025	$756M	$559M

City property tax

Up 42% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$356M

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$250M
2020	$259M
2021	$270M
2022	$288M
2023	$302M
2024	$331M
2025	$356M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$434M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$251M
2020	$275M
2021	$319M
2022	$324M
2023	$320M
2024	$328M
2025	$434M

What the city owes

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

$192M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$117M	$0
2020	$104M	$0
2021	$140M	$0
2022	$126M	$0
2023	$116M	$0
2024	$109M	$0
2025	$192M	$0

Building new things

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

$91.2M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$116M	$53.1M
2020	$63.1M	$54.2M
2021	$63.1M	$54.4M
2022	$64.8M	$55.7M
2023	$88.5M	$57.5M
2024	$120M	$60.8M
2025	$91.2M	$63.8M

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.