For anyone interested, Ottawa had a report done comparing costs for urban/inner suburban, suburban, rural and village residential development. They found that urban development pays significantly more taxes than the cost for city services, while the others all paid less taxes than the cost of services (i.e. urban subsidizing suburban and rural, although the suburban difference wasn't as bad). One of the big reasons rural residents cost a lot is the road budget... only 10% of the population was rural/village but they took up 44% of road operating (maintenance/snow clearing) budget and about 1/3rd of the capital budget.
http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa...cument%205.pdf
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