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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Kingston'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 Kingston's budget, taxes and council decisions. A city in eastern Ontario with a mayor and twelve district councillors. Under Ontario’s strong-mayor rules, the Mayor writes the budget and Council can amend it. Every figure links back to the public record.
$15,799,000left in the development-charge part of the restricted funds at the end of 2025, down from $36,396,000 a year earlier (amounts as printed in thousands)
Development charges are fees that builders pay when they build, kept in a separate fund to pay for roads, pipes, parks and other things a growing city needs. The law limits how the city can use this money. In 2025 the city took $40,612,000 from its restricted funds for capital projects, and the development-charge part of those funds dropped by more than half. The 2026 budget plans to use much less from the fund this year.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$283,626,598planned capital spending for 2027 in the city’s own 15-year plan, against $135,810,768 for 2026
The city’s plan, not yet approved year by year, shows capital spending of $135,810,768 in 2026 and $283,626,598 in 2027. For 2027 the plan borrows $65,000,000 from reserve-backed debt and $15,000,000 against development charges. The city says the main reason is a new aquatic centre, and that it will stay below a limit it set for itself of about $530M.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
$7.5Mthe Working Fund Reserve balance the city projects for the end of 2026, down from about $9.5M projected a year earlier
A reserve is money saved for later. The city’s Working Fund Reserve is meant for "one-time expenditures". The 2025 budget drew about $2.1M from it, and the 2026 budget about $1.5M. Both years include $550K for encampment clean-ups and $440K for the airport. The city says about $7.5M will remain at the end of 2026, down from about $9.5M projected for the end of 2025.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
6.92%the 2027 increase in Kingston Police’s own operating forecast, after a requested 5.97% for 2026
The Police Service Board asked for $57,250,135 net for 2026, up 5.97%. The Board’s own forecast for 2027 is 6.92%. The city’s tax table shows $62.0M of the tax levy going to Police Services in 2026, up 6.1%, against 2.35% for the city’s own services. The Board explains that most of the cost is wages under collective agreements, a new law and filling jobs left empty by long absences.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
$189,805,000cash and short-term investments at the end of 2025, down from $245,240,000 a year earlier (amounts as printed in thousands)
The city’s cash and short-term investments went from $286,474,000 at the start of 2024 to $245,240,000 at the end of 2024 and $189,805,000 at the end of 2025. In 2025 the city spent $180,030,000 on capital assets, more than the $145,672,000 its operations brought in as cash.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
September 1, 2026the date of the auditor’s report on the city’s 2025 statements (clean opinion)
An audit is an outside accountant’s check that the books are fair. The city’s auditor signed the 2023 statements on August 13, 2024, the 2024 statements on September 4, 2025, and the 2025 statements on September 1, 2026. Each opinion is clean. The 2025 statements were signed after the Mayor’s 2026 budget was already adopted.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 4 sources
3.75%the total property tax rate increase in the proposed 2026 budget, made of 2.35% for city services and 1.4% for outside agencies
The Mayor’s written direction capped the increase for the city’s own services at 2.5%, including 1% for capital. The proposed budget raises that part by 2.35%. The outside agencies, mainly police, are counted separately at 1.4%, which brings the total to 3.75%. The city explains why the split exists.
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
$15,252,000gas commodity sales in 2025, against a budget of $25,000,000 (amounts as printed in thousands)
The city owns a natural gas network, run by Utilities Kingston. The 2025 budget in the statements expected $25,000,000 from gas commodity sales and $35,797,000 of gas utility spending. The actual figures were $15,252,000 and $27,930,000. The statements’ totals page also prints a different amount of gas commodity purchases ($10,766,000) than the gas page ($15,252,000).
Found by reading the city's own documents · 3 sources
Where your tax bill goes
A property tax bill in Kingston pays for the city and schools. Only part of it goes to the city, and that part is what Kingston council controls.
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