The Municipality of Chatham-Kent continues to demonstrate strong financial stability and competitive service costs according to the findings of the 2025 BMA Municipal Study, which compares key financial and socio-economic indicators across 128 municipalities in Ontario.
The study shows that Chatham-Kent maintains one of the lowest overall costs of municipal services in the province. Residents benefit from lower property taxes and competitive water and wastewater rates compared to many municipalities of similar size.
Among Ontario municipalities with populations over 100,000, Chatham-Kent residents pay the lowest property taxes on an average detached bungalow, with an annual tax bill of approximately $3,904, which is about 20 per cent below the group average and significantly lower than the highest municipality in the comparison.
When property taxes and water/wastewater costs are combined, Chatham-Kent ranks among the most affordable municipalities in the province. The study places Chatham-Kent 25th lowest in overall service costs out of the 128 municipalities surveyed.
The report also highlights the unique challenges faced by Chatham-Kent due to its large geographic area and relatively low population density. With more than 112,000 residents spread across 2,452 square kilometres, the municipality must maintain extensive infrastructure, including approximately 1,500 kilometres of paved roads, nearly five per cent of all bridges in Ontario, and the largest network of municipal drains in the province.
Despite these challenges, the study indicates that Chatham-Kent maintains a strong financial position. The municipality’s financial position per capita is $2,964, which is well above the survey average of $1,013, indicating that past and current investments have helped place the community on stable financial footing.
Chatham-Kent also maintains relatively low debt levels compared to other municipalities. Total municipal debt is $181 per resident, significantly below the survey average of $686. Much of that debt relates to water and wastewater infrastructure funded through user rates rather than property taxes.
“Chatham-Kent is in an enviable position to now be able to use strategic debt on upcoming major projects that this Council and the next term of Council will be considering, including investments in affordable housing, gravel road conversion, new storm sewers, recreational facilities, a fire station and investment in growth infrastructure,” said Gord Quinton, Chief Financial Officer with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. “A modest level of debt will be strategically used for intergenerational equity on large upcoming capital projects as part of Council’s Strategic Directions and budget approvals.”
“Chatham-Kent’s strong financial position reflects years of responsible planning and the commitment of past and present Councils to making thoughtful investments in our community,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff. “Despite the unique challenges we face as a large rural municipality, these results show that we are in a positive position. We continue to deliver services efficiently while maintaining the flexibility to invest in the infrastructure and opportunities that will support Chatham-Kent’s future growth.”
The study also notes that while service costs remain competitive, lower average household incomes mean those costs represent a slightly higher share of income for residents compared to some municipalities. This underscores the importance of careful long-term financial planning as the municipality continues to manage aging infrastructure and maintain service levels across a large geographic area.
Residents interested in reviewing the full report can find the 2025 BMA Municipal Study on the Municipality of Chatham-Kent website.
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Media Contact:
Eric Labadie
Manager, Corporate Communications
Municipality of Chatham-Kent
ericl@chatham-kent.ca
