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Winnipeg, MB – TheNewswire – June 6, 2025 – The Frontier Centre for Public Policy has released the ninth edition of its Local Government Performance Index (LGPI), authored by Research Fellow Lee Harding. The report evaluates the transparency and quality of financial reporting among 99 of Canada’s largest municipalities based on 2023 data, highlighting continued progress in public accountability but significant discrepancies across regions.
The Transparency Index (TI) component of the LGPI scores cities out of a possible 33 points, assessing how accessible and comprehensive their financial statements are. Criteria include audit timeliness, commentary on expenditures, historical data, capital asset reporting, and adherence to best accounting practices.
Top Performers
Five cities tied for the national lead with a score of 32/33:
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Burnaby, Coquitlam, Kelowna (British Columbia)
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Edmonton (Alberta)
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Markham (Ontario)
Lowest Scores
At the other end of the spectrum, Charlottetown (PEI), Medicine Hat (AB), and Strathcona County (AB) earned the lowest published scores of 20/33. Additionally, Clarington, Hamilton, and Kawartha Lakes (ON) received a score of zero for failing to post their consolidated financial statements.
Regional Highlights
British Columbia
B.C. cities generally excelled in transparency. Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Kelowna topped both the provincial and national rankings with 32 points. Chilliwack scored the lowest at 23, failing to report key data categories like expenditures by object and historical trend statistics.
Prairie Provinces
Edmonton led with 32 points, while Calgary, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg followed closely at 30. The poorest performers were Medicine Hat and Strathcona County, each at 20, citing missing or unclear reporting in several critical areas.
Ontario
Ontario showed wide variation. While Markham, Milton, Mississauga, and Brampton scored 31 or higher, Windsor and Chatham-Kent lagged at 23. Notably, Hamilton cited a 2024 ransomware attack as the reason for not publishing its 2023 financials, earning a score of zero.
Atlantic Canada
Cities in Atlantic Canada generally underperformed. No city received an accounting award, and most failed to differentiate goods and services in reporting. Moncton led with a score of 27, while Charlottetown dropped to 20, largely due to delays and omissions in reporting.
Northern Territories
Whitehorse topped northern cities with a score of 31, followed by Yellowknife at 29. Iqaluit slipped to 21, primarily due to audit delays and reduced financial detail.
Methodology
The LGPI draws on each city’s publicly available annual and financial reports, using ten transparency criteria. It also powers LGPI.ca, a user-friendly online tool allowing public access to municipal financial data from 2007 to 2023. Metrics include capital assets, long-term debt, revenue, and per-household spending.
Key Findings
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Most large cities now include depreciation in their financial statements.
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Many cities are improving the depth of expense reporting and historical comparisons
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A small number of municipalities still fail to meet basic standards for public disclosure.
“Transparency is essential in a democracy,” said author Lee Harding. “Citizens must be able to understand how their tax dollars are spent, and the LGPI helps pressure local governments to adopt best practices.”
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
About the Frontier Centre
The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent Canadian think tank that promotes effective government through research and advocacy. The LGPI project, launched in 2007, continues to set a national benchmark for local government transparency.
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