Ontario Municipal Expenditures Survey
Ontario has the greatest number of invasive species of any province or territory in Canada. The high degree of internal and international trade and travel in Ontario, coupled with many points of entry, and a dense, mobile human population, leads to a higher risk of invasive species introduction. Invasive species pose a significant threat to Ontario’s ecology, society, and economy.
With ongoing management needs for existing invasive species and emerging invasives on the horizon, municipalities remain on the frontlines of response efforts and continue to bear the brunt of accompanying costs. In 2026, ISC aims to survey all 444 Ontario municipalities on their 2025 invasive species expenditures to update the 2018 total annual expenditure figure. Through increased requests for funding and greater demand for municipal invasive species strategy development, ISC has observed the need to quantify as accurately as possible the economic impacts of invasive species prevention, detection, monitoring and management at the municipal level. This work is being completed with support from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
We are looking for one (1) response per municipality.
Si vous avez besoin d’aide pour saisir vos réponses dans le formulaire en français, veuillez envoyer un courriel à info@invasivespeciescentre.ca
Access the Data Guide for how data will be used here.
Previous Municipal Expenditures Survey (2019)
Ontario municipalities incur immense costs in their efforts to prevent, detect, monitor, and manage invasive species. A survey was conducted in 2019 by the Invasive Species Centre (ISC) to obtain information on these expenditures (in addition to expenditures from Conservation Authorities) in 2018. Out of 444 municipalities in the province, 88 submitted a total of 117 usable responses. Survey data on reported expenditure amounts were then extrapolated to estimate the total annual expenditure on invasive species across all municipalities in Ontario.
This figure was estimated to be $24,821,670. Survey methodology, results and conclusions can be found in the report Estimated Expenditures on Invasive Species in Ontario: 2019 Survey Results authored by Richard J. Vyn.
Learn More About Economic Impacts
Find more information and resources below
