■ Municipal governments play an important role in the lives of Ontarians by providing key services and collecting taxes and fees.

■ There were very wide variations in per-person spending and revenue across the 26 municipalities of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) from 2009 to 2019.

■ The municipal average for growth in per-person spending (adjusted for inflation) was 9.6%.

■ Toronto—the region’s most populous city—was the highest spender in 2019 ($4,605 per person), while Milton spent the least ($2,629 per person).

■ Spending per person in the region’s next largest cities, Mississauga ($3,072), Brampton ($3,045), and Hamilton ($3,108), was below the municipal average.

■ From 2009 to 2019 four municipalities recorded decreases in per-person spending (adjusted