9 things that will cost you more in the 2025 City of Ottawa budget

Ottawa residents will be paying more to board the bus and the O-Train, have the garbage picked up, park on city streets and to use recreation facilities in 2025.

The 2025 City of Ottawa draft budget includes a 3.9 per cent property tax hike for most homeowners. The budget also includes increases in user fees for a variety of city services next year.

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CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at nine things that will cost you more in Ottawa in 2025.

OC Transpo fares

 

Council approved a five per cent increase in transit fares in the 2025 OC Transpo budget.

Here is a look at the rate increases.

As of Jan. 1, 2025:

• Adult monthly pass: $135 ($128.75 in 2024)
• Youth monthly pass (13 to 18 years-old): $104 ($99.25 in 2024)
• Adult single-ride fare (paid by card): $4 ($3.80 in 2024)
• Adult single-ride fare (paid by cash): $4.05 (3.85 in 2024)
• Senior single-ride fare (paid by e-purse): $3.20 ($2.90 in 2024)
• 11-12 year-old single-ride fare (paid by e-purse): $2 (free in 2024)

As of Feb. 1, 2025:

• Senior monthly pass: $58.25 ($49 in 2024)

The 2025 OC Transpo budget eliminates free fares for 11 and 12-year-olds.

The fares for the Community monthly pass, the Access monthly pass and EquiPass remain unchanged in 2025.

The U-Pass will increase 5 per cent on Sept. 1, 2025, contingent upon the completion of consultations with post-secondary institutions and student associations.

 

An OC Transpo user paying for a transit fare. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

Solid Waste Services

You will be paying more for household garbage and recycling collection in 2024.

The 2025 budget increases the solid waste user fees from $145 to $243 for a single-family household. The $243 fee will include the waste diversion tax, which was a separate line in 2024 ($56), as the city shifts to a single-fee system.

The solid waste user fees increase from $91 to $167 for multi-residential households.

Tipping fees for the landfill will increase 10.6 per cent.

A worker rides on the back of a waste collection vehicle in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)

Recreation fees

The 2025 budget increases rental and membership fees for arenas and recreation.

Here is a look at the increases:

• Arena rental - Adult: $341.67 ($331.88 in 2024)
• Arena rental – Minor: $204.81 ($198.94 in 2024)
• Artificial turf – Adult: $142.94 ($138.84 in 2024)
• Artificial turf – Minor: $84.15 ($81.74 in 2024)
• Sports fields/ball diamonds: Increasing 3 per cent to $20.45 to $50.11

Memberships:

• Aquafitness: $54.13-$904.43 ($52.58-$878.41 in 2024)
• Fitness: $24.85 to $1,011 ($24.14-$982.35 in 2024)
• Museum: $39.15 ($38.38 in 2024)
• Personal training: up 3 per cent to $23.23-$67.15
• Swim: Up 3 per cent to $24.16-$651.29

Hourly programming

• Aquatics – Learn to Swim: up 2.9 per cent to $5.28-$32.91
• Day camps: up 2.7 per cent to 3 per cent to $1.84 to $17.82
• Fitness: up 2.9 per cent to $0.16 to $16.76
• Learn to Skate: up 3 per cent to $13.80 to $30.62

People ice skate on the Rink of Dreams at City Hall in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

On-street parking rates

The 2025 budget proposes increasing the maximum on-street parking rate.

The maximum on-street parking rate will increase from $4.50 to $5. Staff will have the delegated authority to increase parking rates during the year.

The cost of on-street residential parking permits will increase approximately 2.5 to 2.9 per cent. Here is a look at the proposed rates:

• Residential parking permit: $770 a year ($750 in 2024)
• Residential parking permit – summer: $36 a month ($35 in 2024)
• Residential parking permit – winter: $167 ($163 in 2024)

Business licensing

Business licensing fees will increase in 2025.

The proposed 2025 Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee budget outlines increases of up to seven per cent for business licensing. Here are some of the fee increases:

• Application Processing Fee: up 3.4 per cent to $60
• Food premises: up 2.3 per cent to $226
• All Night Dance Events: up 2.4 per cent to $340
• Kennel-Boarding: up 2.5 per cent to $124
• Rickshaw operators: up 1.0 per cent to $55
• Snow plow vehicles: up 52 per cent to $58

Mobile refreshment vendors will see licenses increase 2.5 per cent.

Short-term rentals

The cost for a short-term rental permit will increase in 2025.

The cost of an application/renewal processing fee will increase $3 to $60. A host permit fee for two-years will increase 3.7 per cent to $56, according to the draft budget.

I Do

It will cost you more to say 'I Do' in Ottawa in 2025.

The cost of a marriage licence will increase two per cent to $186.55.

Civil marriages will cost more at Ottawa City Hall next year. The Option 1: Monday to Friday during business hours will now cost $163.18, up from $159.20 in 2024.

The Option 2: Friday evening and Saturday afternoons will cost $163.18, up from $159.20 in 2024.

Death

Death registration fees will increase $1.28 to $52.28.

Ottawa Police Service reports

The 2025 Ottawa Police Service's budget includes an increase in the cost of police record checks.

• Police Record Checks – Vulnerable Sector Employment: $72 (up from $71 in 2024)
• Police Record Checks – Adoption: $118 (up from $115 in 2024)
• Police Record Checks – Pardon Applications: $72 (up from $71 in 2024)
• Criminal Records Check: $72 (up from $71 in 2024)
• Occurrence Report: $64 (up from $62 in 2024)
• False Alarm Fee: $176 (up from $172 in 2024)
• Impound Recovery Fee: $200 (up from $195 in 2024)