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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Owen Sound'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 Owen Sound'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 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: $78.1M

Where the city's money came from in 2024.

Owen Sound revenue by source, 2024
  • Property taxes$35.4M45%
  • Grants for specific projects$14.9M19%
  • Fees people pay$19.6M25%
  • Everything else$8.0M10%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Property taxes$35,396,53345.4%
Grants for specific projects$14,866,36219.1%
Fees people pay$19,603,91925.2%
Everything else$8,031,79210.3%
Total$77,898,606100%

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.

Money out: $53.9M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $8.4M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

Owen Sound spending by service, 2024
  • Running the city office$4.9M9%
  • Police, fire and safety$20.8M39%
  • Roads and snow$6.7M12%
  • Water, sewers and garbage$10.3M19%
  • Health$512K1%
  • Parks, arena and library$9.1M17%
  • Planning and business$1.7M3%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Running the city office$4,851,5239.0%
Police, fire and safety$20,778,66938.6%
Roads and snow$6,715,08812.5%
Water, sewers and garbage$10,303,59319.1%
Health$511,5420.9%
Parks, arena and library$9,079,90716.8%
Planning and business$1,656,5753.1%
Total$53,896,897100%

Police, fire and safety

$20.8M

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

+33% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Police, fire and safety broken down
  1. Police (OPP contract)$13M+39%

    What the city pays for policing.

  2. Fire department$5.4M+11%

    Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.

  3. Court security$945K+42%

    Security at the courthouse.

  4. Building permits$664K+147%

    Checking that new buildings are safe.

  5. By-law and animal control$518K+103%

    Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.

  6. Conservation authority$313K+12%

    A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.

  7. Prisoner transport$10,682

    Moving people held by police.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Police (OPP contract)$12,957,734+39.1%
Fire department$5,369,752+11.2%
Court security$944,752+42.0%
Building permits$664,013+147.3%
By-law and animal control$518,391+102.7%
Conservation authority$313,345+12.1%
Prisoner transport$10,682–

Water, sewers and garbage

$10.3M

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

+26% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Water, sewers and garbage broken down
  1. Sewage treatment$3.7M+115%

    Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).

  2. Water pipes$2.6M+36%

    The pipes that bring water to homes.

  3. Water treatment$1.8M+16%

    Making lake or well water safe to drink.

  4. Garbage pickup$734K+83%

    Trucks that collect garbage.

  5. Sewer pipes$678K−54%

    The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.

  6. Storm drains$422K+1,138%

    Drains that carry away rain water.

  7. Recycling$370K−61%

    Recycling and composting.

  8. The dump (landfill)$42,014−73%

    Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.

  9. Other environment$11,365

    Other environmental costs.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Sewage treatment$3,726,073+114.8%
Water pipes$2,567,863+36.0%
Water treatment$1,751,696+15.5%
Garbage pickup$734,033+82.9%
Sewer pipes$677,936−54.0%
Storm drains$422,386+1,137.7%
Recycling$370,227−60.8%
The dump (landfill)$42,014−73.3%
Other environment$11,365–

Parks, arena and library

$9.1M

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

+27% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Parks, arena and library broken down
  1. Other recreation$2.8M

    Other recreation costs.

  2. Arena and buildings$2.5M+18%

    The arena, pool, community centre and halls.

  3. Parks$2.5M+42%

    Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.

  4. Arts and culture$917K+63%

    Festivals, arts and heritage.

  5. Programs$228K+152%

    Classes, camps and activities.

  6. Museums$152K+97%

    Local museums.

  7. Library$31,161−99%

    The public library.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Other recreation$2,781,214–
Arena and buildings$2,487,004+18.5%
Parks$2,482,763+42.4%
Arts and culture$916,868+62.9%
Programs$228,418+151.7%
Museums$152,479+97.1%
Library$31,161−98.8%

Roads and snow

$6.7M

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

0% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Roads and snow broken down
  1. Public transit$2.0M+75%

    Buses.

  2. Roadsides and signs$1.1M+60%

    Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.

  3. Paved roads$1.0M−38%

    Fixing and repaving paved roads.

  4. Snow ploughing$909K−36%

    Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.

  5. Sidewalk snow$609K+4%

    Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.

  6. Street lights$416K+136%

    Power and repairs for street lights.

  7. Accessible transit$344K+13%

    Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.

  8. Parking$226K0%

    City parking lots and meters.

  9. Gravel roads$79,590+91%

    Grading and fixing gravel roads.

  10. Bridges and culverts$38,318−84%

    Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Public transit$1,965,789+75.0%
Roadsides and signs$1,090,647+60.5%
Paved roads$1,035,358−38.2%
Snow ploughing$909,459−35.9%
Sidewalk snow$609,109+4.2%
Street lights$415,953+135.9%
Accessible transit$344,381+13.3%
Parking$226,484−0.1%
Gravel roads$79,590+90.8%
Bridges and culverts$38,318−83.7%

Running the city office

$4.9M

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.

+18% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Running the city office broken down
  1. Office and administration$1.9M+59%

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

  2. Senior management$1.7M−6%

    The top managers who run the city day to day.

  3. Council$1.3M+15%

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

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Office and administration$1,851,085+59.4%
Senior management$1,686,664−5.8%
Council$1,313,774+14.6%

Planning and business

$1.7M

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

+90% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Planning and business broken down
  1. Business and tourism$944K+360%

    Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.

  2. Planning and zoning$713K+65%

    Deciding what can be built where.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Business and tourism$943,905+360.3%
Planning and zoning$712,670+65.0%

Health

$512K

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+104% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Health broken down
  1. Cemeteries$512K+104%

    Looking after city cemeteries.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Cemeteries$511,542+104.1%

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$34.3M

    Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.

  2. Supplies and utilities$9.4M

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

  3. Outside companies$8.2M

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

  4. Interest on loans$1.1M

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

  5. Rent and money costs$420K

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

  6. Money given to others$391K

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

Show as a table
ItemAmount
Staff pay and benefits$34,309,152
Supplies and utilities$9,432,810
Outside companies$8,235,527
Interest on loans$1,108,608
Rent and money costs$420,238
Money given to others$390,562

Staff

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

YearFull-timePart-timeSeasonal
20192219717
20202278619
20212425515
202223610139
20232516943
20242336825

In 2020, full-time staff jumped from 221 to 227 while part-time dropped from 97 to 86. The total barely changed, so this looks like a change in how jobs were counted or set up, not a hiring spree. Staff pay rose only 2% that year.

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
$78.1M
Show as a table
YearMoney inDay-to-day spending
2019$56M$43.2M
2020$56.9M$44M
2021$61.3M$45.8M
2022$64.5M$51.5M
2023$65.9M$51.7M
2024$78.1M$53.9M

City property tax

Up 19% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.

City property tax by year
$35.4M
Show as a table
YearCity property tax
2019$29.9M
2020$30.9M
2021$32M
2022$32.6M
2023$33.8M
2024$35.4M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

Reserves by year
$42.8M
Show as a table
YearSavings
2019$29.7M
2020$32.1M
2021$33.6M
2022$37.3M
2023$39.4M
2024$42.8M

What the city owes

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

Debt by year
$30.5M
Show as a table
YearLong-term loansTemporary loans
2019$23.1M$0
2020$30.1M$0
2021$27.8M$0
2022$34.5M$0
2023$32.5M$0
2024$30.5M$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
$6.0M
Show as a table
YearBuilt or boughtWore out (amortization)
2019$24.4M$8.4M
2020$14.7M$8.6M
2021$12.1M$8.0M
2022$6.4M$8.3M
2023$9.2M$8.2M
2024$6.0M$8.4M

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.