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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Kenora'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 Kenora'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: $86.9M

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

40%

16%

23%

16%

Property taxes$34.4M40%
Money from Ontario (no strings)$3.4M4%
Grants for specific projects$13.5M16%
Fees people pay$19.8M23%
Other$13.7M16%
Everything else$1.2M1%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$34,433,366	40.1%
Money from Ontario (no strings)	$3,362,200	3.9%
Grants for specific projects	$13,495,107	15.7%
Fees people pay	$19,774,950	23.0%
Other	$13,703,003	15.9%
Everything else	$1,172,890	1.4%
Total	$85,941,516	100%

What each source means

Property taxes: What home and business owners pay each year, based on what their property is worth.
Money from Ontario (no strings): A yearly grant from the Province that the city can spend on anything. Small rural places get more.
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: $56.3M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $9.2M 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%

22%

15%

19%

13%

Running the city office$7.3M13%
Police, fire and safety$12.3M22%
Roads and snow$8.3M15%
Water, sewers and garbage$10.5M19%
Health$3.0M5%
Social services$2.6M5%
Housing$1.6M3%
Parks, arena and library$7.5M13%
Planning and business$3.3M6%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$7,302,720	13.0%
Police, fire and safety	$12,305,652	21.9%
Roads and snow	$8,270,978	14.7%
Water, sewers and garbage	$10,457,372	18.6%
Health	$2,970,524	5.3%
Social services	$2,600,404	4.6%
Housing	$1,582,839	2.8%
Parks, arena and library	$7,519,885	13.4%
Planning and business	$3,298,644	5.9%
Total	$56,309,018	100%

Police, fire and safety

$12.3M

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

+29% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$7.1M+12%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$3.2M+45%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$924K+95%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Building permits$627K+148%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Traffic court$431K+47%
Handling tickets and fines.
Emergency planning$22,705
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$7,080,242	+12.5%
Fire department	$3,221,703	+44.6%
By-law and animal control	$923,595	+94.8%
Building permits	$626,659	+148.0%
Traffic court	$430,748	+47.2%
Emergency planning	$22,705	–

Water, sewers and garbage

$10.5M

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

+34% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Sewer pipes$3.0M+73%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
The dump (landfill)$2.5M+75%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Sewage treatment$1.9M+62%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Water treatment$1.6M+47%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Water pipes$1.2M−25%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Recycling$169K−67%
Recycling and composting.
Garbage pickup$98,017−44%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Storm drains$73,864−47%
Drains that carry away rain water.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Sewer pipes	$2,983,256	+72.7%
The dump (landfill)	$2,463,061	+75.1%
Sewage treatment	$1,859,608	+61.7%
Water treatment	$1,595,617	+47.1%
Water pipes	$1,215,066	−25.4%
Recycling	$168,883	−66.6%
Garbage pickup	$98,017	−44.1%
Storm drains	$73,864	−47.1%

Roads and snow

$8.3M

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

+13% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Paved roads$3.2M+132%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Other transportation$2.0M+2%
Other transportation costs.
Public transit$1.1M+258%
Buses.
Snow ploughing$618K−41%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Roadsides and signs$481K+44%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Gravel roads$462K+1%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Parking$175K−7%
City parking lots and meters.
Street lights$143K−10%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Accessible transit$90,882+11%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Bridges and culverts$13,214−99%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Paved roads	$3,162,470	+132.3%
Other transportation	$2,016,291	+1.5%
Public transit	$1,110,672	+257.6%
Snow ploughing	$617,685	−41.1%
Roadsides and signs	$480,507	+44.2%
Gravel roads	$461,783	+0.8%
Parking	$174,936	−6.9%
Street lights	$142,538	−9.5%
Accessible transit	$90,882	+11.1%
Bridges and culverts	$13,214	−99.0%

Parks, arena and library

$7.5M

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

+25% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Arena and buildings$4.2M+27%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Parks$1.6M+77%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Museums$1.0M+28%
Local museums.
Library$753K+10%
The public library.
Programs$48,198−76%
Classes, camps and activities.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Arena and buildings	$4,156,000	+26.5%
Parks	$1,558,870	+77.1%
Museums	$1,004,186	+27.8%
Library	$752,631	+9.9%
Programs	$48,198	−76.0%

Running the city office

$7.3M

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.

+80% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$5.5M+68%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$1.2M+180%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$559K+72%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$5,503,621	+67.6%
Senior management	$1,239,619	+180.2%
Council	$559,480	+71.5%

Planning and business

$3.3M

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

+83% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Business and tourism$1.5M+857%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$1.0M+65%
Deciding what can be built where.
Other planning$779K−25%
Other planning costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Business and tourism	$1,509,761	+857.3%
Planning and zoning	$1,009,546	+64.8%
Other planning	$779,337	−24.7%

Health

$3.0M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+20% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$1.9M+26%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$857K+23%
Health inspections and programs.
Cemeteries$233K−18%
Looking after city cemeteries.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$1,880,068	+26.2%
Public health	$857,230	+22.8%
Cemeteries	$233,226	−17.6%

Social services

$2.6M

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

+22% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Seniors$2.1M+24%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$325K+11%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$204K+27%
Daycare and early learning.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Seniors	$2,072,025	+23.7%
Income support	$324,673	+10.8%
Child care	$203,706	+27.0%

Housing

$1.6M

Affordable and social housing.

+6% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Other housing$1.6M+6%
Other housing costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Other housing	$1,582,839	+5.6%

What the money bought

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

Staff pay and benefits$24.1M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Money given to others$14.2M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Supplies and utilities$10.4M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Outside companies$7.2M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Rent and money costs$196K
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Interest on loans$195K
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$24,130,408
Money given to others	$14,178,422
Supplies and utilities	$10,445,914
Outside companies	$7,163,059
Rent and money costs	$196,273
Interest on loans	$194,942

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	169	80	55
2020	169	73	39
2021	186	47	60
2022	183	28	26
2023	329	33	0
2024	234	23	0
2025	192	20	0

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.

$86.9M

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$58.8M	$42.6M
2020	$57M	$40M
2021	$55.9M	$42.1M
2022	$59.5M	$45.4M
2023	$64.9M	$48.7M
2024	$65.5M	$53.1M
2025	$86.9M	$56.3M

City property tax

Up 28% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$34.4M

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$26.8M
2020	$27.3M
2021	$28.3M
2022	$29.1M
2023	$30.5M
2024	$31.7M
2025	$34.4M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$40.6M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$27.6M
2020	$29.7M
2021	$31.9M
2022	$34.3M
2023	$36.5M
2024	$36.7M
2025	$40.6M

What the city owes

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

$6.9M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$0	$0
2020	$0	$0
2021	$10.6M	$0
2022	$9.6M	$0
2023	$8.6M	$0
2024	$7.8M	$0
2025	$6.9M	$0

Building new things

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

$17.4M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$25.1M	$7.4M
2020	$12.6M	$7.9M
2021	$10.2M	$8.2M
2022	$13.4M	$8.3M
2023	$14.6M	$8.8M
2024	$13.5M	$9.1M
2025	$17.4M	$9.2M

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.