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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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 St Thomas'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 St Thomas' 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: $257M

Where the city's money came from in 2024.

St Thomas revenue by source, 2024
  • Property taxes$69.6M27%
  • Grants for specific projects$151M58%
  • Fees people pay$38.3M15%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Property taxes$69,639,50626.8%
Grants for specific projects$151,468,56258.4%
Fees people pay$38,303,49214.8%
Total$259,411,560100%

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: $167M on services

Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $18.7M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.

St Thomas spending by service, 2024
  • Running the city office$10.4M6%
  • Police, fire and safety$36.9M22%
  • Roads and snow$10.9M7%
  • Water, sewers and garbage$17.9M11%
  • Health$7.7M5%
  • Social services$53.8M32%
  • Housing$15.1M9%
  • Parks, arena and library$9.8M6%
  • Planning and business$4.3M3%
Show as a table
CategoryAmountShare
Running the city office$10,415,8386.2%
Police, fire and safety$36,918,57822.1%
Roads and snow$10,885,7166.5%
Water, sewers and garbage$17,868,04410.7%
Health$7,652,7164.6%
Social services$53,809,80732.3%
Housing$15,145,0109.1%
Parks, arena and library$9,786,6585.9%
Planning and business$4,280,3702.6%
Total$166,762,737100%

Social services

$53.8M

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

+29% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Social services broken down
  1. Seniors$18.8M+40%

    Long-term care and seniors programs.

  2. Income support$18M+4%

    Help for people with very low income.

  3. Child care$17M+54%

    Daycare and early learning.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Seniors$18,821,057+40.0%
Income support$18,004,962+3.9%
Child care$16,983,788+54.2%

Police, fire and safety

$36.9M

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

+49% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Police, fire and safety broken down
  1. Police (OPP contract)$21.8M+63%

    What the city pays for policing.

  2. Fire department$12.2M+38%

    Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.

  3. Court security$1.2M+14%

    Security at the courthouse.

  4. Building permits$1.2M+68%

    Checking that new buildings are safe.

  5. By-law and animal control$550K+18%

    Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Police (OPP contract)$21,756,448+63.0%
Fire department$12,236,784+37.8%
Court security$1,215,718+14.1%
Building permits$1,159,225+68.0%
By-law and animal control$550,403+17.5%

Water, sewers and garbage

$17.9M

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

+21% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Water, sewers and garbage broken down
  1. Water pipes$4.6M−9%

    The pipes that bring water to homes.

  2. Sewage treatment$4.3M+8%

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

  3. Water treatment$2.8M+645%

    Making lake or well water safe to drink.

  4. Garbage pickup$2.4M+203%

    Trucks that collect garbage.

  5. Recycling$1.8M−14%

    Recycling and composting.

  6. Sewer pipes$1.2M−15%

    The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.

  7. The dump (landfill)$544K−34%

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

  8. Storm drains$162K+38%

    Drains that carry away rain water.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Water pipes$4,645,443−8.9%
Sewage treatment$4,303,093+7.6%
Water treatment$2,787,377+644.7%
Garbage pickup$2,391,776+203.4%
Recycling$1,832,854−13.5%
Sewer pipes$1,200,836−15.5%
The dump (landfill)$544,349−34.4%
Storm drains$162,316+37.8%

Housing

$15.1M

Affordable and social housing.

+47% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Housing broken down
  1. Public housing$9.0M+58%

    Homes owned by government.

  2. Non-profit housing$6.1M

    Homes run by non-profits and co-ops.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Public housing$9,044,409+57.7%
Non-profit housing$6,100,601–

Roads and snow

$10.9M

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

+20% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Roads and snow broken down
  1. Roadsides and signs$3.6M+258%

    Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.

  2. Airport$1.4M+21%

    A local airport or airstrip.

  3. Public transit$1.4M+6%

    Buses.

  4. Snow ploughing$1.3M−23%

    Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.

  5. Paved roads$853K−64%

    Fixing and repaving paved roads.

  6. Accessible transit$739K+27%

    Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.

  7. Street lights$709K+8%

    Power and repairs for street lights.

  8. Sidewalk snow$426K+160%

    Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.

  9. Parking$406K+289%

    City parking lots and meters.

  10. Bridges and culverts$24,278

    Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.

  11. Gravel roads$21,366

    Grading and fixing gravel roads.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Roadsides and signs$3,631,660+257.6%
Airport$1,429,819+20.6%
Public transit$1,377,945+5.7%
Snow ploughing$1,268,636−23.5%
Paved roads$852,624−64.3%
Accessible transit$738,668+27.1%
Street lights$709,004+8.2%
Sidewalk snow$425,803+159.6%
Parking$405,913+289.2%
Bridges and culverts$24,278–
Gravel roads$21,366–

Running the city office

$10.4M

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.

+43% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Running the city office broken down
  1. Office and administration$9.3M+69%

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

  2. Senior management$703K−48%

    The top managers who run the city day to day.

  3. Council$405K+1%

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

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Office and administration$9,308,174+68.6%
Senior management$703,162−47.8%
Council$404,502+1.1%

Parks, arena and library

$9.8M

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

+26% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Parks, arena and library broken down
  1. Parks$3.5M+34%

    Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.

  2. Arena and buildings$3.4M+102%

    The arena, pool, community centre and halls.

  3. Library$2.9M+19%

    The public library.

  4. Arts and culture$9,750−87%

    Festivals, arts and heritage.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Parks$3,475,444+34.1%
Arena and buildings$3,364,479+101.5%
Library$2,936,985+19.0%
Arts and culture$9,750−87.4%

Health

$7.7M

Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.

+18% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Health broken down
  1. Public health$4.6M+22%

    Health inspections and programs.

  2. Ambulance$2.9M+31%

    Paramedics and ambulances.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Public health$4,647,655+21.8%
Ambulance$2,927,600+31.5%

Planning and business

$4.3M

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

+83% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)

Planning and business broken down
  1. Business and tourism$3.1M

    Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.

  2. Planning and zoning$1.2M+50%

    Deciding what can be built where.

Show as a table
ItemAmountChange
Business and tourism$3,072,020–
Planning and zoning$1,208,350+50.2%

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$76.9M

    Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.

  2. Outside companies$44.6M

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

  3. Money given to others$23.7M

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

  4. Supplies and utilities$19.8M

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

  5. Interest on loans$1.2M

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

  6. Rent and money costs$662K

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

Show as a table
ItemAmount
Staff pay and benefits$76,893,888
Outside companies$44,627,306
Money given to others$23,651,165
Supplies and utilities$19,761,819
Interest on loans$1,166,776
Rent and money costs$661,783

Staff

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

YearFull-timePart-timeSeasonal
201958320190.75
202058520387
2021602173223
2022634183141
2023664161161.75
2024696179155.75

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
$257M
Show as a table
YearMoney inDay-to-day spending
2019$159M$124M
2020$153M$125M
2021$176M$135M
2022$282M$142M
2023$330M$151M
2024$257M$167M

City property tax

Up 30% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.

City property tax by year
$69.6M
Show as a table
YearCity property tax
2019$53.6M
2020$57.6M
2021$57.9M
2022$62.9M
2023$66.3M
2024$69.6M

Savings (reserves)

Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.

Reserves by year
$53M
Show as a table
YearSavings
2019$30M
2020$42.7M
2021$42M
2022$48.4M
2023$55.7M
2024$53M

What the city owes

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

Debt by year
$40.1M
Show as a table
YearLong-term loansTemporary loans
2019$35.8M$0
2020$41.6M$0
2021$38.8M$0
2022$35.6M$0
2023$32.8M$0
2024$40.1M$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
$53M
Show as a table
YearBuilt or boughtWore out (amortization)
2019$63.2M$14.4M
2020$20.2M$15.5M
2021$37.2M$15.9M
2022$32.2M$17.7M
2023$41.2M$17.2M
2024$53M$18.7M

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.