Six ways the city of Ottawa's 2023 budget will affect your wallet

Canadian currency. (Flickr / Quinn Dombrowski)

The $5 billion city of Ottawa budget will increase property taxes and several fees across the city this year.

City staff tabled the budget with a 2.5 per cent property tax hike on Wednesday, which will cost the average urban taxpayer an extra $104 in 2023.

The budget will freeze transit fares this year and reduce youth recreation fees by 10 per cent, but it will increase the costs for several things.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at six ways the 2023 city of Ottawa budget will cost you more this year.

Water rates

You will be paying more to turn on the taps this year.

The 2023 city of Ottawa budget includes a 4.2 per cent increase in water, wastewater and stormwater rates. The average urban homeowner will pay an extra $38 in 2023 on their water bill.

Urban residents pay water, wastewater and stormwater fees, while rural residents who are not connected to the water system only pay stormwater fees. 

Rural residents who are not connected to the water system will pay an extra $10 in 2023.

Garbage collection fees

Ottawa residents are facing a 10 per cent hike in garbage collection fees.

The 2023 city of Ottawa budget will increase solid waste fees for a single-family household $12 this year to $130.

Multi-residential household solid waste rates will increase $6 to $83.50.

Residential parking permits

Drivers will be paying more to park on city streets this year.

The 2023 budget proposes a 2.3 per cent to 3 per cent increase for on-street parking permits.

An annual parking permit will increase $18 to $733, while a winter parking permit (December to March) will increase $4 to $159.

A residential visitor parking permit per week over the summer will increase $0.25 to $8.50, while a residential visitor parking permit per week in the winter will increase $1 to $39.75.

There will be no increase in parking rates for on-street parking metres and at off-street parking lots owned by the city of Ottawa.

Rental fees

The cost to rent arenas, sports fields and theatres will increase across the city of Ottawa in 2023.

Arena rentals will increase 2.6 per cent to $323.79 for adults, $194.09 for minors and $150.99 for non-prime time ice.

The cost to rent sports fields, ball diamonds and artificial turf fields will increase 2 per cent this year.

City of Ottawa recreation fees

While the 2023 budget includes a 10 per cent reduction in youth recreation fees, the cost for some memberships and program registrations will increase in 2023.

The budget proposes a 2 per cent increase in program membership costs, while program registration costs will increase up to 2 per cent this year.

Memberships

• Aquafitness – up 2 per cent to $52.58-$857.08
• Fitness – up 2 per cent to $24.14-$958.39
• Museum – 2 per cent increase to $37.44
• Seniors Centres – up 2 per cent to $21.22-$26.64
• Swim – 2 per cent increase to $23.47-$617.19
• Skating – up 2 per cent to $10.83 - $322.25

Program Registrations (Hourly)

• Aquatics Learn to Swim – 2 per cent increase to $5.13-$31.19
• Day Camps – 2 per cent increase to $1.84-$17.39
• Museum Program – 2 per cent increase to $4.51-$54.39
• Skating – Learn to Skate – 2 per cent increase to $13.14-$28.44
• Performing Arts – 2.1 per cent increase to $4.47-$29.11

Saying 'I Do'

It will cost you more to get married in the city of Ottawa in 2023.

The 2023 budget proposes a 2 per cent increase in the cost of marriage licenses, to $178.43.

If you want to get married in a civil marriage at city hall, it will cost you two per cent more.   A Civil Marriage Monday to Friday during business hours will cost $156.06, up from $153 in 2022.

Civil marriages on Friday evening or Saturday afternoon will cost $234.09, up from $229.50.