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by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date.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 Thunder Bay'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 Thunder Bay'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: $699M
Where the city's money came from in 2024.
Thunder Bay revenue by source, 2024
34%
12%
45%
Property taxes$232M34%
Money from Ontario (no strings)$21.1M3%
Grants for specific projects$79.8M12%
Fees people pay$310M45%
Other$33.9M5%
Everything else$14.3M2%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Property taxes
$232,298,099
33.6%
Money from Ontario (no strings)
$21,061,500
3.0%
Grants for specific projects
$79,799,420
11.5%
Fees people pay
$310,326,067
44.9%
Other
$33,861,459
4.9%
Everything else
$14,349,096
2.1%
Total
$691,695,641
100%
What each source means
Property taxes
What home and business owners pay each year, based on what their property is worth.
Money from Ontario (no strings)
A yearly grant from the Province that the city can spend on anything. Small rural places get more.
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: $557M on services
Day-to-day spending in 2024, by service. On top of this, the city recorded $85.1M of "wear and tear" on things it owns. That is an accounting cost, not cash out the door, so it is left out here.
Thunder Bay spending by service, 2024
19%
27%
12%
11%
Running the city office$83M19%
Police, fire and safety$114M27%
Roads and snow$39M9%
Water, sewers and garbage$51M12%
Health$40.2M9%
Social services$48.3M11%
Parks, arena and library$42.4M10%
Planning and business$11.5M3%
Show as a table
Category
Amount
Share
Running the city office
$82,984,998
19.3%
Police, fire and safety
$113,992,620
26.5%
Roads and snow
$39,030,975
9.1%
Water, sewers and garbage
$50,989,071
11.9%
Health
$40,175,863
9.4%
Social services
$48,331,333
11.3%
Parks, arena and library
$42,449,037
9.9%
Planning and business
$11,457,316
2.7%
Total
$429,411,213
100%
Police, fire and safety
$114M
Paying for police, the fire department, building inspectors and by-law officers.
+18% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Police, fire and safety broken down
Police (OPP contract)$67.6M+28%
What the city pays for policing.
Fire department$35.6M+3%
Firefighters, trucks and fire halls.
Court security$2.1M+21%
Security at the courthouse.
Traffic court$2.0M+26%
Handling tickets and fines.
Conservation authority$1.7M+12%
A regional group that manages rivers, flooding and wetlands.
Building permits$1.6M−3%
Checking that new buildings are safe.
By-law and animal control$1.4M−9%
Enforcing city rules, like noise, parking and dogs.
Prisoner transport$1.1M+23%
Moving people held by police.
Emergency planning$867K
Getting ready for floods, storms and other emergencies.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Police (OPP contract)
$67,568,143
+27.7%
Fire department
$35,627,020
+3.2%
Court security
$2,145,574
+20.7%
Traffic court
$2,009,049
+25.7%
Conservation authority
$1,697,120
+12.0%
Building permits
$1,644,628
−2.8%
By-law and animal control
$1,351,653
−9.4%
Prisoner transport
$1,082,896
+23.4%
Emergency planning
$866,537
–
Running the city office
$83M
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
Office and administration$53.5M+24%
Office staff, finance, IT, insurance, legal and the city hall. Places share this cost out across other services.
Senior management$28.3M+19%
The top managers who run the city day to day.
Council$1.1M+5%
Pay and expenses for the mayor and councillors, and council meetings.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Office and administration
$53,534,244
+24.3%
Senior management
$28,309,610
+18.6%
Council
$1,141,144
+5.3%
Water, sewers and garbage
$51M
Clean tap water, the sewer system, garbage pickup, the dump and recycling.
+22% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Water, sewers and garbage broken down
Water pipes$14.1M+63%
The pipes that bring water to homes.
Sewage treatment$10.9M+21%
Cleaning sewage before it goes back into nature (Tweed uses lagoons).
Sewer pipes$7.6M+42%
The pipes that carry sewage away from homes.
Water treatment$5.1M−22%
Making lake or well water safe to drink.
The dump (landfill)$3.8M−6%
Running the landfill, and saving up to close it safely one day.
Recycling$3.8M+7%
Recycling and composting.
Garbage pickup$3.0M+2%
Trucks that collect garbage.
Storm drains$2.6M+66%
Drains that carry away rain water.
Rural drainage$128K−28%
Ditches and drains in the countryside.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Water pipes
$14,050,576
+63.4%
Sewage treatment
$10,880,592
+21.5%
Sewer pipes
$7,570,934
+41.9%
Water treatment
$5,102,981
−21.8%
The dump (landfill)
$3,812,029
−5.7%
Recycling
$3,802,894
+6.6%
Garbage pickup
$3,018,649
+2.0%
Storm drains
$2,622,348
+66.2%
Rural drainage
$128,068
−28.3%
Social services
$48.3M
Help for people and families who need it, and child care.
+27% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Social services broken down
Seniors$26.6M+43%
Long-term care and seniors programs.
Income support$18M+11%
Help for people with very low income.
Child care$3.8M+11%
Daycare and early learning.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Seniors
$26,622,563
+42.8%
Income support
$17,951,452
+11.5%
Child care
$3,757,318
+11.0%
Parks, arena and library
$42.4M
Parks, the arena, the pool, sports fields, programs and the library.
+27% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Parks, arena and library broken down
Parks$11.5M+19%
Parks, beaches, trails and green spaces.
Arena and buildings$8.6M+25%
The arena, pool, community centre and halls.
Programs$8.0M+82%
Classes, camps and activities.
Library$7.4M+14%
The public library.
Arts and culture$4.0M+10%
Festivals, arts and heritage.
Golf, marina, ski hill$2.9M+26%
City-owned golf course, marina or ski hill.
Museums$16,649
Local museums.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Parks
$11,542,068
+19.5%
Arena and buildings
$8,574,262
+24.7%
Programs
$7,990,309
+82.2%
Library
$7,390,289
+14.2%
Arts and culture
$3,999,162
+9.9%
Golf, marina, ski hill
$2,936,298
+26.5%
Museums
$16,649
–
Health
$40.2M
Public health, ambulances and cemeteries.
+26% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Health broken down
Ambulance$36.9M+27%
Paramedics and ambulances.
Public health$2.9M+23%
Health inspections and programs.
Cemeteries$457K+4%
Looking after city cemeteries.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Ambulance
$36,858,284
+26.9%
Public health
$2,860,952
+23.3%
Cemeteries
$456,627
+3.5%
Roads and snow
$39M
Fixing and paving roads, bridges and culverts, ploughing snow, and street lights.
+23% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Roads and snow broken down
Public transit$13.2M+29%
Buses.
Paved roads$7.0M+69%
Fixing and repaving paved roads.
Roadsides and signs$5.6M+64%
Ditches, signs, line painting and roadside brush.
Snow ploughing$2.5M−46%
Ploughing, salting and sanding roads in winter.
Parking$2.3M−1%
City parking lots and meters.
Street lights$2.3M+88%
Power and repairs for street lights.
Accessible transit$2.3M−10%
Rides for people who cannot use regular buses.
Bridges and culverts$2.0M+24%
Keeping bridges and the pipes under roads safe.
Gravel roads$739K+102%
Grading and fixing gravel roads.
Sidewalk snow$589K−10%
Clearing sidewalks and parking lots.
Other transportation$493K−9%
Other transportation costs.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Public transit
$13,224,848
+29.2%
Paved roads
$6,977,309
+69.4%
Roadsides and signs
$5,599,949
+63.9%
Snow ploughing
$2,544,984
−46.2%
Parking
$2,312,155
−0.9%
Street lights
$2,307,864
+88.4%
Accessible transit
$2,288,990
−10.3%
Bridges and culverts
$1,954,482
+24.1%
Gravel roads
$739,246
+101.5%
Sidewalk snow
$588,620
−10.0%
Other transportation
$492,528
−9.2%
Planning and business
$11.5M
Deciding what can be built where, and trying to bring businesses and visitors to city.
+52% since 2019 (prices rose 18%)
Planning and business broken down
Business and tourism$8.9M+49%
Attracting businesses and visitors, and helping local shops.
Planning and zoning$1.8M+17%
Deciding what can be built where.
New housing$741K
Helping new homes get built.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Change
Business and tourism
$8,934,893
+49.3%
Planning and zoning
$1,781,378
+16.5%
New housing
$741,045
–
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$302M
Wages, benefits and pensions for city workers.
Supplies and utilities$171M
Gravel, salt, fuel, electricity, heating, office supplies and repairs.
Outside companies$41.9M
Work the city pays other companies to do, like policing, paving or consultants.
Money given to others$26.8M
Grants and payments to other groups, like the conservation authority.
Rent and money costs$9.4M
Renting equipment or space, bank fees, and some accounting costs.
Interest on loans$6.4M
The extra money paid to lenders for money the city borrowed.
Show as a table
Item
Amount
Staff pay and benefits
$302,155,783
Supplies and utilities
$170,790,178
Outside companies
$41,888,637
Money given to others
$26,758,404
Rent and money costs
$9,354,471
Interest on loans
$6,361,176
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
2042
1237
48
2020
2035
1207
37
2021
2083
1190
49
2022
2121
1228
55
2023
2146
929
47
2024
2165
995
47
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$200M$400M$600M$800M
$699M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Money in
Day-to-day spending
2019
$567M
$482M
2020
$598M
$462M
2021
$624M
$464M
2022
$645M
$522M
2023
$664M
$522M
2024
$699M
$557M
City property tax
Up 20% since 2019. Prices rose 18%.
City property tax by year
$0$50M$100M$150M$200M$250M
$232M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
City property tax
2019
$194M
2020
$199M
2021
$200M
2022
$208M
2023
$216M
2024
$232M
Savings (reserves)
Money set aside for repairs, equipment and emergencies.
Reserves by year
$0$50M$100M$150M$200M$250M
$222M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Savings
2019
$137M
2020
$162M
2021
$200M
2022
$197M
2023
$214M
2024
$222M
What the city owes
Long-term loans plus short-term (temporary) loans at year end.
Debt by year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
$0$50M$100M$150M$200M$250M
$190M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Long-term loans
Temporary loans
2019
$212M
$0
2020
$212M
$0
2021
$204M
$0
2022
$217M
$0
2023
$203M
$0
2024
$190M
$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
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
$0$50M$100M$150M
$112M
201920202021202220232024
Show as a table
Year
Built or bought
Wore out (amortization)
2019
$86.8M
$79M
2020
$86.7M
$79.5M
2021
$103M
$79.5M
2022
$125M
$77.7M
2023
$120M
$81.8M
2024
$112M
$85.1M
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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