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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 London'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 London'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: $2.1B

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

44%

24%

17%

12%

Property taxes$912M44%
Grants for specific projects$493M24%
Fees people pay$346M17%
Other$260M12%
Everything else$78.1M4%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$912,484,022	43.7%
Grants for specific projects	$493,346,764	23.6%
Fees people pay	$345,667,208	16.5%
Other	$259,835,062	12.4%
Everything else	$78,081,488	3.7%
Total	$2,089,414,544	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: $1.4B on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $213M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

21%

15%

11%

26%

Running the city office$115M8%
Police, fire and safety$303M21%
Roads and snow$211M15%
Water, sewers and garbage$157M11%
Health$47.5M3%
Social services$374M26%
Housing$73M5%
Parks, arena and library$88.4M6%
Planning and business$57.3M4%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$114,657,728	8.0%
Police, fire and safety	$303,482,200	21.3%
Roads and snow	$211,331,578	14.8%
Water, sewers and garbage	$156,646,056	11.0%
Health	$47,471,559	3.3%
Social services	$374,397,785	26.2%
Housing	$72,991,007	5.1%
Parks, arena and library	$88,414,358	6.2%
Planning and business	$57,253,917	4.0%
Total	$1,426,646,188	100%

Social services

$374M

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

+47% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Income support$214M+27%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$122M+102%
Daycare and early learning.
Seniors$37.9M+56%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Other social$638K+38%
Other social services.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Income support	$214,127,731	+26.7%
Child care	$121,755,912	+102.5%
Seniors	$37,876,536	+56.1%
Other social	$637,606	+37.9%

Police, fire and safety

$303M

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

+48% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$191M+68%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$77.1M+19%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$11.4M+38%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Building permits$9.1M+66%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Court security$5.4M+27%
Security at the courthouse.
Traffic court$4.1M+31%
Handling tickets and fines.
Conservation authority$2.9M−33%
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.
Emergency planning$2.3M+394%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Prisoner transport$542K+85%
Moving people held by police.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$190,585,134	+67.7%
Fire department	$77,108,714	+19.4%
By-law and animal control	$11,449,960	+38.2%
Building permits	$9,064,449	+66.1%
Court security	$5,397,860	+27.3%
Traffic court	$4,108,010	+31.3%
Conservation authority	$2,933,312	−33.3%
Emergency planning	$2,293,117	+393.7%
Prisoner transport	$541,644	+85.2%

Roads and snow

$211M

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

+30% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public transit$95.6M+36%
Buses.
Paved roads$39.1M−8%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Snow ploughing$22.8M+66%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Roadsides and signs$19.6M+61%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Accessible transit$15.6M+70%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Street lights$8.0M+16%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Parking$4.0M+19%
City parking lots and meters.
Sidewalk snow$3.6M+67%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Bridges and culverts$2.4M−1%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Gravel roads$577K+45%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Other transportation$56,960
Other transportation costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public transit	$95,612,219	+36.1%
Paved roads	$39,080,747	−8.2%
Snow ploughing	$22,820,206	+66.1%
Roadsides and signs	$19,615,818	+60.5%
Accessible transit	$15,622,000	+69.8%
Street lights	$8,033,960	+15.9%
Parking	$3,955,842	+18.8%
Sidewalk snow	$3,554,282	+67.5%
Bridges and culverts	$2,402,693	−1.2%
Gravel roads	$576,851	+44.5%
Other transportation	$56,960	–

Water, sewers and garbage

$157M

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

+46% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Water pipes$34.9M+31%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Sewage treatment$32.2M+50%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Recycling$24.9M+74%
Recycling and composting.
Storm drains$21.9M+138%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Sewer pipes$16.8M+90%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Water treatment$13.8M+55%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Garbage pickup$11.3M+20%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Other environment$1.8M+80%
Other environmental costs.
Rural drainage$107K+5%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Water pipes	$34,919,844	+31.5%
Sewage treatment	$32,198,238	+49.8%
Recycling	$24,853,131	+73.9%
Storm drains	$21,872,633	+138.3%
Sewer pipes	$16,778,638	+89.7%
Water treatment	$13,807,462	+55.3%
Garbage pickup	$11,317,018	+19.8%
Other environment	$1,769,902	+80.1%
Rural drainage	$107,254	+5.0%

Running the city office

$115M

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.

+23% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$58.5M+27%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$51.4M+17%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$4.7M+48%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$58,482,635	+27.3%
Senior management	$51,440,599	+17.0%
Council	$4,734,494	+47.8%

Parks, arena and library

$88.4M

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

+24% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Library$26.9M+32%
The public library.
Programs$20.4M+31%
Classes, camps and activities.
Parks$15.9M+23%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Arena and buildings$11.8M+10%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Arts and culture$8.2M+9%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Golf, marina, ski hill$4.5M+30%
City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Museums$539K+25%
Local museums.
Other recreation$144K+13%
Other recreation costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Library	$26,906,165	+32.1%
Programs	$20,429,222	+31.2%
Parks	$15,889,874	+23.2%
Arena and buildings	$11,775,319	+10.5%
Arts and culture	$8,223,067	+9.1%
Golf, marina, ski hill	$4,507,450	+29.6%
Museums	$539,454	+25.3%
Other recreation	$143,807	+13.2%

Housing

$73M

Affordable and social housing.

+21% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public housing$37.6M+61%
Homes owned by government.
Non-profit housing$24M+29%
Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.
Other housing$2.4M+30%
Other housing costs.
Rent help$1.3M−51%
Help paying rent.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public housing	$37,551,875	+60.7%
Non-profit housing	$23,970,070	+29.4%
Other housing	$2,428,929	+30.0%
Rent help	$1,281,139	−51.2%

Planning and business

$57.3M

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

+57% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Business and tourism$43.4M+69%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$13.4M+35%
Deciding what can be built where.
Farms and forests$496K−23%
Programs for farms and forests.
New housing$262−100%
Helping new homes get built.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Business and tourism	$43,359,035	+69.5%
Planning and zoning	$13,398,875	+35.0%
Farms and forests	$495,745	−22.9%
New housing	$262	−99.6%

Health

$47.5M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+71% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$32.4M+97%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$15M+33%
Health inspections and programs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$32,429,422	+97.2%
Public health	$15,042,137	+33.2%

What the money bought

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

Staff pay and benefits$658M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Outside companies$290M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Money given to others$229M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Supplies and utilities$197M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Rent and money costs$46M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Interest on loans$6.1M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$658,360,583
Outside companies	$290,277,670
Money given to others	$228,780,000
Supplies and utilities	$197,122,693
Rent and money costs	$45,972,266
Interest on loans	$6,132,976

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	4743	231	1617
2020	5319	228	1187
2021	4808	233	1279
2022	5007	233	1739
2023	5245	230	1831
2024	5243	256	1945
2025	5358	269	2042

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.

$2.1B

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$1.4B	$1.0B
2020	$1.4B	$977M
2021	$1.5B	$1.0B
2022	$1.7B	$1.1B
2023	$1.7B	$1.2B
2024	$1.9B	$1.3B
2025	$2.1B	$1.4B

City property tax

Up 44% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$912M

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$632M
2020	$667M
2021	$697M
2022	$729M
2023	$763M
2024	$836M
2025	$912M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$1.7B

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$855M
2020	$1.0B
2021	$1.2B
2022	$1.3B
2023	$1.4B
2024	$1.5B
2025	$1.7B

What the city owes

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

$210M

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$311M	$0
2020	$287M	$671K
2021	$252M	$404K
2022	$223M	$507K
2023	$202M	$534K
2024	$195M	$620K
2025	$210M	$584K

Building new things

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

$377M

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$294M	$182M
2020	$266M	$185M
2021	$298M	$187M
2022	$336M	$190M
2023	$278M	$193M
2024	$554M	$205M
2025	$377M	$213M

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.