Council BooksKitchenerOntarioSign inSubscribe
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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Kitchener'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 Kitchener'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: $683M

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

Kitchener revenue by source, 2025
  • Property taxes$174M26%
  • Grants for specific projects$40.6M6%
  • Fees people pay$327M48%
  • Other$104M15%
  • Everything else$34.1M5%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Property taxes$174,222,56425.6%
Grants for specific projects$40,609,3146.0%
Fees people pay$326,671,56348.1%
Other$104,060,48115.3%
Everything else$34,083,0455.0%
Total$679,646,967100%

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: $448M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $67.1M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

Kitchener spending by service, 2025
  • Running the city office$79.4M20%
  • Police, fire and safety$61.9M16%
  • Roads and snow$28.6M7%
  • Water, sewers and garbage$98.8M25%
  • Health$2.7M1%
  • Social services$3.9M1%
  • Housing$2.2M1%
  • Parks, arena and library$93M24%
  • Planning and business$19.2M5%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Running the city office$79,402,57320.4%
Police, fire and safety$61,867,17215.9%
Roads and snow$28,589,6717.3%
Water, sewers and garbage$98,786,31225.4%
Health$2,697,8660.7%
Social services$3,927,7571.0%
Housing$2,161,0910.6%
Parks, arena and library$92,968,18923.9%
Planning and business$19,225,3054.9%
Total$389,625,936100%

Water, sewers and garbage

$98.8M

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

+30% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Water, sewers and garbage broken down
  1. Sewer pipes$49.2M+29%

    The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.

  2. Water pipes$40.7M+32%

    The pipes that bring water to homes.

  3. Storm drains$7.7M+21%

    Drains that carry away rain water.

  4. Garbage pickup$833K+46%

    Trucks that collect garbage.

  5. Other environment$344K+92%

    Other environmental costs.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Sewer pipes$49,176,575+28.6%
Water pipes$40,724,578+32.2%
Storm drains$7,708,240+20.9%
Garbage pickup$832,940+46.2%
Other environment$343,979+92.1%

Parks, arena and library

$93M

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

+41% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Parks, arena and library broken down
  1. Arena and buildings$25.9M+36%

    The arena, pool, community centre and halls.

  2. Parks$18.6M+81%

    Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.

  3. Library$17M+42%

    The public library.

  4. Programs$16.1M+61%

    Classes, camps and activities.

  5. Arts and culture$12.2M+1%

    Festivals, arts and heritage.

  6. Golf, marina, ski hill$3.1M+16%

    City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Arena and buildings$25,947,385+35.6%
Parks$18,554,222+81.5%
Library$17,024,098+41.8%
Programs$16,092,926+60.5%
Arts and culture$12,248,397+1.2%
Golf, marina, ski hill$3,101,161+15.8%

Running the city office

$79.4M

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.

+41% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Running the city office broken down
  1. Office and administration$58.5M+52%

    Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.

  2. Senior management$19M+16%

    The top managers who run the city day to day.

  3. Council$1.9M+29%

    Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Office and administration$58,481,907+52.4%
Senior management$19,041,841+16.1%
Council$1,878,825+28.8%

Police, fire and safety

$61.9M

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

+30% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police, fire and safety broken down
  1. Fire department$46.2M+21%

    Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.

  2. By-law and animal control$9.5M+77%

    Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.

  3. Building permits$6.2M+52%

    Checking that new buildings are safe.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Fire department$46,223,766+21.4%
By-law and animal control$9,461,352+76.6%
Building permits$6,182,054+51.8%

Roads and snow

$28.6M

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

+3% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Roads and snow broken down
  1. Snow ploughing$8.3M+66%

    Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.

  2. Roadsides and signs$7.2M+17%

    Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.

  3. Paved roads$5.1M+2%

    Fixing and repaving paved roads.

  4. Parking$3.4M−16%

    City parking lots and meters.

  5. Sidewalk snow$2.9M+3%

    Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.

  6. Street lights$1.5M−65%

    Power and repairs for street lights.

  7. Bridges and culverts$61,220−39%

    Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

  8. Gravel roads$42,210

    Grading and fixing gravel roads.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Snow ploughing$8,289,170+66.0%
Roadsides and signs$7,215,165+17.1%
Paved roads$5,113,289+1.7%
Parking$3,400,351−16.2%
Sidewalk snow$2,929,509+3.1%
Street lights$1,538,757−65.0%
Bridges and culverts$61,220−39.1%
Gravel roads$42,210–

Planning and business

$19.2M

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

+59% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Planning and business broken down
  1. Business and tourism$11.2M+59%

    Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.

  2. Planning and zoning$8.1M+59%

    Deciding what can be built where.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Business and tourism$11,160,163+59.5%
Planning and zoning$8,065,142+59.0%

Social services

$3.9M

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

+44% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Social services broken down
  1. Seniors$3.3M+23%

    Long-term care and seniors programs.

  2. Child care$252K

    Daycare and early learning.

  3. Other social$241K

    Other social services.

  4. Income support$97,862

    Help for people with very low income.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Seniors$3,337,082+22.5%
Child care$251,898–
Other social$240,915–
Income support$97,862–

Health

$2.7M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+24% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Health broken down
  1. Cemeteries$2.7M+24%

    Looking after city cemeteries.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Cemeteries$2,697,866+24.2%

Housing

$2.2M

Affordable and social housing.

Housing broken down
  1. Non-profit housing$1.6M

    Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.

  2. Other housing$568K

    Other housing costs.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Non-profit housing$1,593,566–
Other housing$567,525–

What the money bought

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

Spending by type
  1. Staff pay and benefits$219M

    Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.

  2. Supplies and utilities$195M

    Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.

  3. Outside companies$17.6M

    Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.

  4. Money given to others$10.5M

    Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.

  5. Interest on loans$3.8M

    The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.

  6. Rent and money costs$2.8M

    Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.

Show as a table
ItemAmount
Staff pay and benefits$219,216,460
Supplies and utilities$194,509,849
Outside companies$17,577,686
Money given to others$10,519,899
Interest on loans$3,833,682
Rent and money costs$2,833,484

Staff

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

YearFull-timePart-timeSeasonal
201912861786111
202013571720114
202113151146116
202214061096204
202314661347272
202415061256307
202515411270279

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.

Money in and day-to-day spending by year
$683M
Show as a table
YearMoney inDay-to-day spending
2019$478M$339M
2020$464M$314M
2021$484M$323M
2022$605M$368M
2023$565M$385M
2024$617M$407M
2025$683M$448M

City property tax

Up 33% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

City property tax by year
$174M
Show as a table
YearCity property tax
2019$131M
2020$135M
2021$138M
2022$145M
2023$155M
2024$165M
2025$174M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

Reserves by year
$177M
Show as a table
YearSavings
2019$84.7M
2020$98.6M
2021$118M
2022$129M
2023$136M
2024$161M
2025$177M

What the city owes

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

Debt by year
$153M
Show as a table
YearLong-term loansTemporary loans
2019$64M$0
2020$62.7M$0
2021$60M$0
2022$57.7M$0
2023$52.6M$0
2024$79.3M$0
2025$153M$0

Building new things

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

Capital spending and wear by year
$146M
Show as a table
YearBuilt or boughtWore out (amortization)
2019$95.5M$49.5M
2020$147M$51.8M
2021$122M$55.6M
2022$120M$56.6M
2023$148M$64.9M
2024$162M$66.3M
2025$146M$67.1M

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.