Here's where Ottawa's draft budget will cost you more

Residents are set to pay more for a variety of city services next year if Ottawa's draft operating budget, tabled Wednesday, is adopted.

Underthe 2025 spending plan, which will now undergo about a month of detailed debate before returning to council on Dec. 11, urban homeowners will see their property tax billrise by 2.9 per cent, or about $100.

An additional eight per cent hike to the transit levy means most taxpayers will effectively end up paying 3.9 per cent more.

The transit increaseadds another $68for the average urban home, while the tax burden on rural homeownerswould be lower as they receive less transit service.

WATCH | What the city is proposing to do with its money:

What you need to know about Ottawa's draft budget

1 day ago

Duration 2:35

Elyse Skura breaks down the highlights of Ottawa's 2025 draft budget released Wednesday.

OC Transpo

The2025 draft budget includes fare increases across the board:

• Adult base fares up 5.3 per centfrom $3.80 (2024) to $4.00 (2025), paid by card.
• Cash fares up5.2 per centfrom $3.85 to $4.05.
• Adult monthly passes up 4.9 per centfrom $128.75to $135.
• Senior monthly passes upa whopping 120.4 per centfrom $49 to $108.
• Day passesup 2.1 per centfrom $11.75 to $12.
• Three-day passes up 5.3 per cent from $28.50 to $30.
• U-passes (per semester) upfiveper centfrom $229.07 to $240.52.

Garbage and recycling

TheCity of Ottawa currentlycollectsfeesin two revenue streams, split between a waste diversion tax and a separate citywide fee.

Currently, the average homeowner pays $56 for waste diversionon top of a $148 fee, for atotal annual charge of $201.

The city is shifting to what it considers a more equitable single-fee systemthat will charge every household the same fee of $243.

Library, water and recreation

The Ottawa Public Library also reviewed its user fee system and isproposing chargingan extra 2.5 per cent to rent out meeting rooms.

Variable and fixed rates for drinking water will go up twoper cent, while a range of water connection services will switchfrom a flat rate in 2024 to an hourly cost, plus an administration fee.

User fees for city recreational facilities are also set to go up:

• Adult arena rental fees up 2.9 per cent from $331.88 (2024) to $341.67 (2025).
• Museum admissions up by between 2.9 and 3.0 per cent, from between$3.84 and$19.90 to between $3.95 and $20.49.
• Public skating fees up 7.6 per cent from between$1.99 and$7.74 to between $1.99 and$7.96.
• Public swim fees up by between 2.8 and 3.0 per cent from between $2.48 and $6.02to between $2.55 and $6.20.
• Most memberships, from aquafitness to seniors centres, up three per cent.

Parking, marriage and death

On-street parking rates and on-streetresidential parking permits are set to increase if the 2025 budget is passed.

The maximum on-street hourly rate will rise from $4.50 in 2024 to $5 in 2025, while the same rate for motorcycles will go from $2.25 to $2.50, and tour buses from $9 to $10.

Annual residential parking permits will rise $20 from $750 to $770.

Rates at city-owned parking facilities will not change in2025, butthe city will introduce a one-time off-street permit activation feeof $12.50.

Meanwhile, both getting hitched and dying in Ottawa are set to cost a little more in 2025. Marriage licences will go from $182 this yearto $186.55 next year, while death registration fees will rise from $51to $52.28.