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This is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Ottawa'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 Ottawa'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: $6.0B

Where the city's money came from in 2025.

41%

23%

18%

15%

Property taxes$2.4B41%
Grants for specific projects$1.4B23%
Fees people pay$1.1B18%
Other$867M15%
Everything else$169M3%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Property taxes	$2,431,440,225	41.0%
Grants for specific projects	$1,374,932,490	23.2%
Fees people pay	$1,086,821,677	18.3%
Other	$866,582,098	14.6%
Everything else	$169,199,412	2.9%
Total	$5,928,975,902	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: $4.8B on services

Day-to-day spending in 2025, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $460M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

18%

25%

17%

10%

Running the city office$371M8%
Police, fire and safety$846M18%
Roads and snow$1.2B25%
Water, sewers and garbage$367M8%
Health$230M5%
Social services$833M17%
Housing$477M10%
Parks, arena and library$363M8%
Planning and business$92.9M2%

Show as a table

Category	Amount	Share
Running the city office	$370,747,723	7.8%
Police, fire and safety	$846,299,476	17.8%
Roads and snow	$1,179,361,816	24.8%
Water, sewers and garbage	$367,328,653	7.7%
Health	$229,877,127	4.8%
Social services	$832,718,226	17.5%
Housing	$477,202,062	10.0%
Parks, arena and library	$363,360,795	7.6%
Planning and business	$92,931,540	2.0%
Total	$4,759,827,418	100%

Roads and snow

$1.2B

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

+30% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Public transit$691M+26%
Buses.
Roadsides and signs$177M+59%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Snow ploughing$104M+23%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Paved roads$55.7M+100%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Accessible transit$40M+26%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Sidewalk snow$26.5M+39%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Parking$24.8M−2%
City parking lots and meters.
Bridges and culverts$22.2M+115%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Street lights$19.3M0%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Other transportation$16.7M−27%
Other transportation costs.
Gravel roads$3.4M−49%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Public transit	$690,632,356	+26.3%
Roadsides and signs	$176,546,610	+59.1%
Snow ploughing	$103,621,515	+22.9%
Paved roads	$55,675,488	+99.9%
Accessible transit	$39,965,782	+25.5%
Sidewalk snow	$26,538,901	+38.6%
Parking	$24,808,671	−2.1%
Bridges and culverts	$22,210,454	+114.6%
Street lights	$19,310,012	−0.3%
Other transportation	$16,651,026	−26.6%
Gravel roads	$3,401,001	−49.3%

Police, fire and safety

$846M

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

+43% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Police (OPP contract)$516M+53%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$217M+19%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$33.1M+49%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Building permits$26.4M+29%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
Traffic court$17.8M+230%
Handling tickets and fines.
Conservation authority$15.6M+23%
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.
Emergency planning$11.5M+19%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Court security$9.4M+83%
Security at the courthouse.
Prisoner transport$3,613−96%
Moving people held by police.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Police (OPP contract)	$515,561,418	+53.5%
Fire department	$216,831,303	+19.0%
By-law and animal control	$33,100,764	+48.8%
Building permits	$26,434,096	+29.2%
Traffic court	$17,835,296	+229.8%
Conservation authority	$15,606,131	+22.9%
Emergency planning	$11,541,912	+19.4%
Court security	$9,384,943	+83.2%
Prisoner transport	$3,613	−96.0%

Social services

$833M

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

+60% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Child care$391M+152%
Daycare and early learning.
Income support$320M+13%
Help for people with very low income.
Seniors$122M+50%
Long-term care and seniors programs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Child care	$391,220,545	+151.6%
Income support	$319,810,305	+13.3%
Seniors	$121,687,376	+49.6%

Housing

$477M

Affordable and social housing.

+63% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Other housing$212M+219%
Other housing costs.
Public housing$152M+16%
Homes owned by government.
Rent help$57.2M+53%
Help paying rent.
Non-profit housing$56.7M−3%
Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Other housing	$211,571,242	+219.4%
Public housing	$151,750,406	+15.5%
Rent help	$57,210,513	+53.4%
Non-profit housing	$56,669,901	−2.7%

Running the city office

$371M

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.

+25% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Office and administration$290M+38%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$59.7M−16%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$21.2M+41%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Office and administration	$289,790,477	+38.1%
Senior management	$59,726,368	−15.6%
Council	$21,230,878	+41.3%

Water, sewers and garbage

$367M

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

+25% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Sewer pipes$71.9M+34%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Water pipes$67.9M+23%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Recycling$54.9M+18%
Recycling and composting.
Sewage treatment$48.1M+86%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Garbage pickup$39.9M+127%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Water treatment$35M+3%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Storm drains$19.4M−31%
Drains that carry away rain water.
The dump (landfill)$13.5M−25%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Other environment$11.2M+35%
Other environmental costs.
Rural drainage$5.4M−23%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Sewer pipes	$71,910,074	+34.2%
Water pipes	$67,943,273	+22.6%
Recycling	$54,908,264	+17.6%
Sewage treatment	$48,102,679	+86.1%
Garbage pickup	$39,914,012	+126.9%
Water treatment	$34,977,607	+2.7%
Storm drains	$19,413,645	−31.1%
The dump (landfill)	$13,528,029	−25.1%
Other environment	$11,233,536	+34.8%
Rural drainage	$5,397,534	−23.3%

Parks, arena and library

$363M

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

+19% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Arena and buildings$98.4M+138%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Programs$97.2M−20%
Classes, camps and activities.
Library$67M+25%
The public library.
Parks$58.2M+17%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Arts and culture$38.8M+14%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Museums$3.9M+2%
Local museums.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Arena and buildings	$98,365,847	+137.6%
Programs	$97,171,771	−20.3%
Library	$66,956,283	+24.8%
Parks	$58,233,555	+16.7%
Arts and culture	$38,751,803	+13.9%
Museums	$3,881,536	+1.7%

Health

$230M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+43% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Ambulance$138M+59%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$76.1M+18%
Health inspections and programs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Ambulance	$137,619,601	+58.9%
Public health	$76,115,242	+17.9%

Planning and business

$92.9M

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

+36% since 2019 (prices rose 21%)

Planning and zoning$45.2M+108%
Deciding what can be built where.
Business and tourism$44.7M+16%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
New housing$1.9M−72%
Helping new homes get built.
Farms and forests$1.0M−10%
Programs for farms and forests.
Farm drainage loans$19,307−59%
Loans to farmers for field drainage.

Show as a table

Item	Amount	Change
Planning and zoning	$45,247,421	+108.1%
Business and tourism	$44,711,627	+15.9%
New housing	$1,948,448	−72.2%
Farms and forests	$1,004,737	−10.4%
Farm drainage loans	$19,307	−59.0%

What the money bought

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

Staff pay and benefits$2.3B
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Money given to others$927M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Supplies and utilities$667M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Outside companies$620M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Interest on loans$187M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.
Rent and money costs$47.6M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.

Show as a table

Item	Amount
Staff pay and benefits	$2,311,982,846
Money given to others	$926,835,221
Supplies and utilities	$666,936,666
Outside companies	$619,763,525
Interest on loans	$186,726,145
Rent and money costs	$47,583,015

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	14570	1732	19
2020	14840	1719	20
2021	14885	1712	0
2022	15122	1723	0
2023	15509	1760	20
2024	15793	1774	18
2025	16395	1855	3

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.

$6.0B

Show as a table

Year	Money in	Day-to-day spending
2019	$4.7B	$3.4B
2020	$4.9B	$3.4B
2021	$5.3B	$3.6B
2022	$5.4B	$3.9B
2023	$5.4B	$4.2B
2024	$5.5B	$4.3B
2025	$6.0B	$4.8B

City property tax

Up 28% since 2019. Prices rose 21%.

$2.4B

Show as a table

Year	City property tax
2019	$1.9B
2020	$1.9B
2021	$2.0B
2022	$2.1B
2023	$2.3B
2024	$2.3B
2025	$2.4B

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

$761M

Show as a table

Year	Savings
2019	$537M
2020	$652M
2021	$732M
2022	$775M
2023	$661M
2024	$735M
2025	$761M

What the city owes

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

$5.1B

Show as a table

Year	Long-term loans	Temporary loans
2019	$3.0B	$0
2020	$3.4B	$0
2021	$3.6B	$200M
2022	$3.8B	$320M
2023	$4.0B	$320M
2024	$4.6B	$160M
2025	$5.1B	$404M

Building new things

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

$2.2B

Show as a table

Year	Built or bought	Wore out (amortization)
2019	$3.1B	$358M
2020	$973M	$393M
2021	$901M	$393M
2022	$860M	$400M
2023	$1.2B	$412M
2024	$1.1B	$421M
2025	$2.2B	$460M

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.