Council BooksNiagara FallsOntarioSign 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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Niagara Falls'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 · 2024

How Niagara Falls' 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 2024, the latest year the city has reported to the Province.

Why 2024 and not this year? A budget is a plan. These figures are what actually happened, checked by an auditor and reported to Ontario. The 2025 report is not out yet.

Money in: $266M

Where the city's money came from in 2024.

Niagara Falls revenue by source, 2024
  • Property taxes$101M36%
  • Grants for specific projects$16.3M6%
  • Fees people pay$75.7M27%
  • Other$74.9M27%
  • Everything else$9.6M3%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Property taxes$100,713,55836.3%
Grants for specific projects$16,294,7805.9%
Fees people pay$75,684,04127.3%
Other$74,919,15527.0%
Everything else$9,555,3903.4%
Total$277,166,924100%

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: $179M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $28.8M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

Niagara Falls spending by service, 2024
  • Running the city office$38.6M22%
  • Police, fire and safety$35.7M20%
  • Roads and snow$23.4M13%
  • Water, sewers and garbage$45.4M25%
  • Health$2.0M1%
  • Social services$756K0%
  • Parks, arena and library$27.3M15%
  • Planning and business$5.4M3%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Running the city office$38,624,54021.6%
Police, fire and safety$35,708,48020.0%
Roads and snow$23,374,08913.1%
Water, sewers and garbage$45,375,42825.4%
Health$2,022,4201.1%
Social services$756,3710.4%
Parks, arena and library$27,314,18315.3%
Planning and business$5,430,8933.0%
Total$178,606,404100%

Water, sewers and garbage

$45.4M

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

+47% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Water, sewers and garbage broken down
  1. Sewer pipes$24.1M+44%

    The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.

  2. Water pipes$20.3M+45%

    The pipes that bring water to homes.

  3. Storm drains$844K+265%

    Drains that carry away rain water.

  4. Rural drainage$149K+296%

    Ditches and drains in the countryside.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Sewer pipes$24,070,077+44.4%
Water pipes$20,312,482+44.7%
Storm drains$843,938+264.7%
Rural drainage$148,931+296.3%

Running the city office

$38.6M

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.

+53% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Running the city office broken down
  1. Office and administration$30.7M+93%

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

  2. Senior management$6.7M−18%

    The top managers who run the city day to day.

  3. Council$1.2M+17%

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

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Office and administration$30,673,076+92.6%
Senior management$6,715,081−18.4%
Council$1,236,383+16.8%

Police, fire and safety

$35.7M

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

+30% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Police, fire and safety broken down
  1. Fire department$27.6M+36%

    Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.

  2. Police (OPP contract)$3.3M−21%

    What the city pays for policing.

  3. Building permits$2.7M+95%

    Checking that new buildings are safe.

  4. By-law and animal control$2.0M+35%

    Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.

  5. Emergency planning$5,580

    Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Fire department$27,628,241+35.9%
Police (OPP contract)$3,315,160−21.1%
Building permits$2,720,130+95.2%
By-law and animal control$2,039,369+35.0%
Emergency planning$5,580–

Parks, arena and library

$27.3M

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

+28% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Parks, arena and library broken down
  1. Arena and buildings$7.5M−32%

    The arena, pool, community centre and halls.

  2. Other recreation$6.2M

    Other recreation costs.

  3. Library$5.4M+10%

    The public library.

  4. Parks$3.6M+7%

    Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.

  5. Programs$2.0M+133%

    Classes, camps and activities.

  6. Museums$1.3M+4%

    Local museums.

  7. Arts and culture$1.3M

    Festivals, arts and heritage.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Arena and buildings$7,514,190−31.8%
Other recreation$6,191,223–
Library$5,430,528+10.2%
Parks$3,598,888+6.7%
Programs$2,049,502+132.9%
Museums$1,278,065+4.1%
Arts and culture$1,251,787–

Roads and snow

$23.4M

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

−39% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Roads and snow broken down
  1. Roadsides and signs$9.7M+40%

    Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.

  2. Paved roads$6.0M−30%

    Fixing and repaving paved roads.

  3. Snow ploughing$2.2M−5%

    Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.

  4. Public transit$1.6M−90%

    Buses.

  5. Street lights$1.2M−8%

    Power and repairs for street lights.

  6. Parking$1.2M+3%

    City parking lots and meters.

  7. Airport$851K+47%

    A local airport or airstrip.

  8. Bridges and culverts$270K+18%

    Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

  9. Sidewalk snow$238K−16%

    Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.

  10. Gravel roads$93,103

    Grading and fixing gravel roads.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Roadsides and signs$9,660,888+40.5%
Paved roads$5,997,412−30.1%
Snow ploughing$2,241,884−5.2%
Public transit$1,581,987−90.0%
Street lights$1,248,320−7.6%
Parking$1,191,519+3.4%
Airport$851,091+47.4%
Bridges and culverts$270,116+17.5%
Sidewalk snow$237,769−15.6%
Gravel roads$93,103–

Planning and business

$5.4M

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

−4% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Planning and business broken down
  1. Business and tourism$2.8M−37%

    Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.

  2. Planning and zoning$2.7M+115%

    Deciding what can be built where.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Business and tourism$2,764,059−37.1%
Planning and zoning$2,666,834+114.6%

Health

$2.0M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+8% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Health broken down
  1. Cemeteries$2.0M+11%

    Looking after city cemeteries.

  2. Ambulance$34,000+3%

    Paramedics and ambulances.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Cemeteries$1,988,420+11.5%
Ambulance$34,000+3.3%

Social services

$756K

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

−26% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Social services broken down
  1. Other social$389K0%

    Other social services.

  2. Seniors$367K−41%

    Long-term care and seniors programs.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Other social$389,083−0.3%
Seniors$367,288−41.5%

What the money bought

The same 2024 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.

Spending by type
  1. Staff pay and benefits$81M

    Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.

  2. Outside companies$51.5M

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

  3. Supplies and utilities$35.7M

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

  4. Money given to others$5.8M

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

  5. Interest on loans$2.7M

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

  6. Rent and money costs$1.9M

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

Show as a table
ItemAmount
Staff pay and benefits$80,999,040
Outside companies$51,539,180
Supplies and utilities$35,667,006
Money given to others$5,794,561
Interest on loans$2,736,314
Rent and money costs$1,870,303

Staff

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

YearFull-timePart-timeSeasonal
20196495081
20205933088
20216125170
202265848114
202358351118
202471772134

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
$266M
Show as a table
YearMoney inDay-to-day spending
2019$220M$152M
2020$179M$140M
2021$224M$150M
2022$211M$170M
2023$224M$167M
2024$266M$179M

City property tax

Up 29% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.

City property tax by year
$101M
Show as a table
YearCity property tax
2019$78.3M
2020$79.9M
2021$81.9M
2022$86M
2023$94.7M
2024$101M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

Reserves by year
$190M
Show as a table
YearSavings
2019$97.2M
2020$85.1M
2021$96.2M
2022$106M
2023$122M
2024$190M

What the city owes

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

Debt by year
$75.4M
Show as a table
YearLong-term loansTemporary loans
2019$48.5M$0
2020$53M$0
2021$70M$0
2022$65.3M$0
2023$71.3M$0
2024$75.4M$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
$49.4M
Show as a table
YearBuilt or boughtWore out (amortization)
2019$49.8M$27.3M
2020$34.6M$28.2M
2021$107M$32M
2022$40M$29.9M
2023$96.8M$27.2M
2024$49.4M$28.8M

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.