Revenue and spending for local governments have increased faster than inflation and population growth, reaching near record levels, according to a new study.
The study, Expanding Finances of Local Governments in Canada, examined municipal revenues and expenditures over a more than 30-year-period, from 1990 to 2023. It was published by public policy research organization the Fraser Institute.
It found that in that time, per-capita revenue increased by 32.7 percent, and expenditures also rose by 30 percent. The report examined municipal governments, school boards, and indigenous governments.
The report also found that per-person spending increased by just over 25 percent between 2000 and 2023. In 2021, per person spending reached a high of $5,974. In 2023, that number dropped to $5,851….