Municipal Water Rate Intelligence

Track and compare water rates and policies across Canadian municipalities

Recent Bylaw News

Short-Term Rentals Vancouver July 12, 2023

Vancouver Tightens Short-Term Rental Rules

Vancouver City Council has approved stricter regulations for short-term rentals, requiring hosts to display license numbers and limiting rentals to primary residences only.

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Firearms Montreal June 28, 2023

Montreal Expands Firearm Restrictions

Montreal has expanded its municipal firearm regulations, prohibiting the possession of replica firearms in public spaces and increasing penalties for violations.

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Cannabis Calgary June 15, 2023

Calgary Revises Cannabis Consumption Bylaws

Calgary City Council has approved amendments to its cannabis consumption bylaws, creating designated consumption areas in select public parks while maintaining restrictions in most public spaces.

Read More →

Animal Control

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Water Rates

Municipal water pricing and policies

Mill Rates

Property tax rates and assessments

Noise Bylaws

Noise restrictions and quiet hours

Average Water Rate

$3.42/m³

Ontario Municipalities

+4.2%

Annual Rate Increase

5.8%

Average across municipalities

+1.2%

Most Common Structure

Tiered

68% of municipalities

Conservation Incentives

76%

Of municipalities offer them

+12%

Water Rates by Municipality

Rate Increases Over Time

Water Rate Comparison

Compare water rates and policies across Ontario municipalities.

Municipality Population Base Rate Rate Structure Avg. Monthly Bill Annual Increase Infrastructure Fee Conservation Programs
Toronto 2.93M $4.25/m³ Tiered (3 levels) $92.50 7.2% $15.00
Ottawa 1.02M $3.84/m³ Tiered (2 levels) $85.20 5.5% $12.50
Mississauga 828K $3.92/m³ Flat Rate $88.40 6.0% $10.00
Hamilton 579K $2.90/m³ Tiered (4 levels) $68.75 3.8% $8.50
London 422K $3.36/m³ Tiered (3 levels) $78.40 5.2% $9.75
Kitchener 256K $3.18/m³ Flat Rate $74.50 4.8% $7.25
Windsor 235K $3.45/m³ Seasonal $79.80 5.0% $8.00
Oshawa 175K $4.38/m³ Flat Rate $96.20 8.5% $14.50

Recent Water Rate Bylaw Changes

June 15, 2023
Toronto
Water Rate Increase

Approved 7.2% increase to water rates to fund infrastructure renewal program. Base rate increased from $3.96/m³ to $4.25/m³.

May 28, 2023
Hamilton
Conservation Incentive Program

Introduced new water conservation rebate program offering up to $150 for high-efficiency appliances and fixtures.

May 12, 2023
Kitchener
Infrastructure Fee Adjustment

Increased water infrastructure fee from $5.75 to $7.25 per month to address aging water main replacement.

April 20, 2023
Oshawa
Rate Structure Change

Transitioned from tiered to flat rate structure with 8.5% overall increase to address infrastructure deficit.

March 15, 2023
Windsor
Seasonal Rate Implementation

Introduced seasonal rate structure with higher summer rates (May-Sept) to manage peak demand periods.

Water Rate Trends & Insights

Infrastructure Investment Driving Rate Increases

92% of Ontario municipalities cite aging infrastructure as the primary driver for water rate increases, with an average annual increase of 5.8% compared to the general inflation rate of 2.1%.

Tiered Rate Structures Gaining Popularity

Municipalities are increasingly adopting tiered rate structures, with 68% now using multi-tier pricing compared to 42% five years ago. These structures typically charge higher rates for higher consumption to encourage conservation.

Regional Disparities

Significant regional variations exist, with Northern Ontario municipalities charging on average 18% less than GTA municipalities, despite often having higher per-capita infrastructure costs due to lower population density.

Water Rate Calculator

Compare estimated monthly water bills across different municipalities based on your usage.

Average household uses 20m³ per month