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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Pembroke'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 Pembroke'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: $54.1M
Where the city's money came from in 2024.
Pembroke revenue by source, 2024
51%
11%
26%
Property taxes$27M51%
Grants for specific projects$5.9M11%
Fees people pay$13.9M26%
Other$2.5M5%
Everything else$3.9M7%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Property taxes
$27,035,586
50.8%
Grants for specific projects
$5,926,101
11.1%
Fees people pay
$13,852,625
26.0%
Other
$2,489,352
4.7%
Everything else
$3,948,730
7.4%
Total
$53,252,394
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: $36.1M on services
Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $7.3M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.
Pembroke spending by service, 2024
25%
11%
25%
13%
Running the city office$3.5M10%
Police, fire and safety$8.9M25%
Roads and snow$4.0M11%
Water, sewers and garbage$9.1M25%
Health$2.3M6%
Social services$1.9M5%
Housing$633K2%
Parks, arena and library$4.9M13%
Planning and business$963K3%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Running the city office
$3,457,770
9.6%
Police, fire and safety
$8,897,467
24.6%
Roads and snow
$4,022,218
11.1%
Water, sewers and garbage
$9,141,124
25.3%
Health
$2,302,287
6.4%
Social services
$1,870,148
5.2%
Housing
$633,150
1.8%
Parks, arena and library
$4,850,012
13.4%
Planning and business
$963,436
2.7%
Total
$36,137,612
100%
Water, sewers and garbage
$9.1M
Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.
+24% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Water, sewers and garbage broken down
Water treatment$2.2M+70%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
Sewage treatment$2.0M+14%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Sewer pipes$1.4M+61%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Garbage pickup$1.2M+23%
Trucks that collect garbage.
The dump (landfill)$1.0M−1%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Water pipes$968K+16%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Rural drainage$110K−11%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.
Storm drains$51,896−34%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Recycling$38,737
Recycling and composting.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Water treatment
$2,246,018
+69.7%
Sewage treatment
$1,997,746
+13.9%
Sewer pipes
$1,440,096
+61.0%
Garbage pickup
$1,243,813
+22.7%
The dump (landfill)
$1,044,571
−0.6%
Water pipes
$968,454
+15.9%
Rural drainage
$109,793
−10.7%
Storm drains
$51,896
−34.1%
Recycling
$38,737
–
Police, fire and safety
$8.9M
Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.
+9% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Police, fire and safety broken down
Police (OPP contract)$4.9M+5%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$3.4M+16%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
By-law and animal control$620K+40%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Emergency planning$8,000−94%
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Police (OPP contract)
$4,892,827
+5.4%
Fire department
$3,376,383
+16.0%
By-law and animal control
$620,257
+40.4%
Emergency planning
$8,000
−93.9%
Parks, arena and library
$4.9M
Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.
+26% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Parks, arena and library broken down
Arena and buildings$1.6M+5%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Parks$1.1M+27%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Programs$1.1M+89%
Classes, camps and activities.
Library$790K+21%
The public library.
Golf, marina, ski hill$170K+12%
City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Arts and culture$1,129
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Arena and buildings
$1,634,240
+4.8%
Parks
$1,134,974
+27.0%
Programs
$1,120,379
+89.3%
Library
$789,724
+20.9%
Golf, marina, ski hill
$169,566
+12.4%
Arts and culture
$1,129
–
Roads and snow
$4.0M
Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.
+17% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Roads and snow broken down
Paved roads$2.9M+52%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Roadsides and signs$284K+28%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Snow ploughing$213K−65%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Street lights$209K−14%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Airport$131K+57%
A local airport or airstrip.
Accessible transit$125K−35%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Sidewalk snow$113K+97%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Public transit$43,021
Buses.
Parking$21,273−71%
City parking lots and meters.
Bridges and culverts$11,180−77%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Gravel roads$3,486
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Paved roads
$2,868,144
+52.3%
Roadsides and signs
$284,232
+28.4%
Snow ploughing
$212,572
−65.4%
Street lights
$208,782
−14.2%
Airport
$131,457
+57.2%
Accessible transit
$125,000
−35.1%
Sidewalk snow
$113,071
+96.7%
Public transit
$43,021
–
Parking
$21,273
−70.9%
Bridges and culverts
$11,180
−77.5%
Gravel roads
$3,486
–
Running the city office
$3.5M
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.
+22% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Running the city office broken down
Senior management$1.8M+21%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Office and administration$1.4M+25%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Council$309K+16%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Senior management
$1,773,917
+20.7%
Office and administration
$1,374,870
+24.9%
Council
$308,983
+15.7%
Health
$2.3M
Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.
+69% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Health broken down
Ambulance$2.0M+74%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$296K+42%
Health inspections and programs.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Ambulance
$2,006,065
+73.7%
Public health
$296,222
+42.0%
Social services
$1.9M
Help for people and families who need it, and child care.
+5% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Social services broken down
Seniors$1.4M+9%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$432K+6%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$10,909−80%
Daycare and early learning.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Seniors
$1,427,585
+8.6%
Income support
$431,654
+6.3%
Child care
$10,909
−79.6%
Planning and business
$963K
Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to city.
+19% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Planning and business broken down
Business and tourism$717K+50%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$247K−21%
Deciding what can be built where.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Business and tourism
$716,908
+49.8%
Planning and zoning
$246,528
−20.5%
Housing
$633K
Affordable and social housing.
−6% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Housing broken down
Public housing$633K−6%
Homes owned by government.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Public housing
$633,150
−6.2%
What the money bought
The same 2024 spending, sorted by what it paid for rather than which service.
Spending by type
Staff pay and benefits$14.7M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Outside companies$7.9M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Supplies and utilities$7.7M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Money given to others$5.0M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Interest on loans$471K
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.
Rent and money costs$306K
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Staff pay and benefits
$14,703,163
Outside companies
$7,929,593
Supplies and utilities
$7,744,241
Money given to others
$4,983,872
Interest on loans
$470,600
Rent and money costs
$306,143
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
122
37
35
2020
120
47
29
2021
129
39
48
2022
131
40
48
2023
136
43
52
2024
143
33
49
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
Money in
Day-to-day spending
$0$20M$40M$60M
$54.1M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
2019
$43M
$30.3M
2020
$44.5M
$29.9M
2021
$44.1M
$30.8M
2022
$45.6M
$32M
2023
$50.8M
$34.3M
2024
$54.1M
$36.1M
City property tax
Up 20% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.
City property tax by year
$0$10M$20M$30M
$27M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
City property tax
2019
$22.5M
2020
$23M
2021
$23.6M
2022
$24M
2023
$25M
2024
$27M
Savings (reserves)
Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.
Reserves by year
$0$10M$20M$30M
$23M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Savings
2019
$19.6M
2020
$20.7M
2021
$22.6M
2022
$23.5M
2023
$25.2M
2024
$23M
What the city owes
Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.
Debt by year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20M
$11.5M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
2019
$18.7M
$21,047
2020
$17.1M
$0
2021
$15.5M
$0
2022
$14.1M
$0
2023
$12.8M
$0
2024
$11.5M
$6.2M
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
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20M
$19.4M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
2019
$7.1M
$5.7M
2020
$5.4M
$5.8M
2021
$14.3M
$6.0M
2022
$10.1M
$6.2M
2023
$9.2M
$6.8M
2024
$19.4M
$7.3M
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.
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