BONNYVILLE – The Town of Bonnyville’s 2026 Interim Operating and Capital Budgets are now officially approved.
The budgets were crafted to reflect Town Council’s Strategic Priorities — championing economic growth and investment, boosting recreation and community wellness, enhancing value-added services for residents, and delivering service excellence across the organization.
The Municipal Government Act requires each municipality to pass a balanced Interim Operating and Capital Budget before December 31 annually.
The 2026 Interim Operating Budget is balanced at $33,959,495.
The balanced budget includes a two per cent residential municipal tax dollar increase, non-residential municipal tax rate increase of 1.7 times the residential municipal tax rate, utility fixed charged increase to $20 per month, utility consumption fee increase to $3 per cubic meter, garbage rate increase to $15.25 per month, reduction in requests from community organizations, deferral of staffing positions, and a transfer of $607,130 from the General Operating Reserve.
Revenue from the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) with the MD of Bonnyville in the amount of $1,500,000 has been included in this budget for areas of Corporate Services, Protective Services, Transportation, Solid Waste and Recreation.
The Final Budget will be amended prior to the passage of the 2026 Tax Rate Bylaw when further information is potentially available.
The balanced 2026 Interim Capital Budget came in at $9,547,484. It reflects a minor surplus of $6,734, which will be transferred to the General Capital Reserve to maintain a balanced budget.
Administration is anticipating $1,238,250 in Provincial Grant Funding which is a decrease of $37,073 from 2025 and $6,366,066 from the 2025 ID349 Funding. Local improvement tax revenue in the amount of $84,000 is included, accounting for any potential lane paving projects. Reserve transfers for equipment replacement totals $1,462,500 and a reserve transfer in the amount of $396,668 has been included for the Highway 28 Project. As a result, the total amount transferred from reserves is $1,859,168.
In addition, unfinished 2025 projects will either carry forward into 2026 or be deferred. These projects were fully funded in 2025, so there is no additional financial impact on the 2026 budget.
At this time, there remains a few projects where costs are unknown and the final expenditure amounts will have a bearing on the final Capital Budget in 2026. These projects include the Public Works Shop Design and Jessie Lake Area 1 Development.
The 2026 Capital Budget can be amended prior to the passage of the 2026 Tax Rate Bylaw, including any changes required upon completion of the 2025 Year End.