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Ontario Cities Exhibit Varied Financial Transparency in Latest Index
Winnipeg, MB — June 6, 2025 — NewsWall — Ontario cities displayed a wide range of performance in municipal financial transparency, according to the latest Local Government Performance Index (LGPI) from the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
Markham tied for the highest score nationally, while municipalities like Hamilton and Clarington failed to publish their 2023 consolidated financial statements and received a score of zero. The LGPI evaluated 99 of Canada’s largest cities based on how clearly they communicate their financial information to the public. The 2023 results highlight Ontario’s strengths in some cities and major concerns in others.
Lee Harding, author of the report, noted Ontario's extremes, with some cities as models of transparency and others failing to post basic financial documents.
Top-scoring Ontario cities included Markham (32/33), tied for first place nationally, Milton, Mississauga, and Brampton (31/33 each), and Kitchener and Toronto (30/33 each). Lowest-scoring cities included Clarington and Hamilton (0/33). Hamilton cited a cybersecurity attack in February 2024 that disrupted access to its financial systems and delayed reporting.
Other notable performers included Oakville, Ottawa, and Brantford (29/33). Cities like Sudbury, Peterborough, and North Bay showed moderate transparency, scoring in the mid-20s.
The LGPI focuses on how easily the public can access and interpret municipal financial data through ten scoring categories. Launched in 2007, the LGPI is a national initiative that encourages stronger public accountability. The LGPI’s searchable online database at LGPI.ca allows citizens to compare city finances across Canada from 2007 to 2023.
Contact: Lee Harding, Research Fellow, Frontier Centre for Public Policy, lee.harding@fcpp.org; Marco Navarro-Genie, Vice President of Research and Policy, mng@fcpp.org
Source: Frontier Centre for Public Policy