Strathcona County develops a municipal budget to present to Council every fall for the year ahead. The County’s goal is to deliver the high service levels residents have come to expect while allocating funds to manage capital and infrastructure projects, operating costs and supply chain and inflation challenges. The budget also covers the costs of emergency and policing services, social services, recreation and much more. 

As a taxpayer within the County, your tax dollars offset these costs and ensure that the County continues to offer a high standard of municipal services. You can find a detailed budget breakdown for this year and past years on this page. 

The budget process starts with a multi-year plan to achieve the goals and priorities in the strategic plan, ensuring that Council and administration are both aware of current and future fiscal impacts.   

Around the fall of each year, the next year’s budget is compiled and discussed with Council, giving Councillors the opportunity to address potential issues and ask questions on behalf of the community. Administration then makes changes to next year’s budget as per Council’s direction.  

It’s important to note that although formal discussion begin in the fall, Council and administration meet throughout the year to workshop the budget and make note of any pressing and incoming fiscal challenges.   

Although Strathcona County’s Council and Administration are aware of regular infrastructure maintenance and operational requirements, it is residents’ voices that help guide the County’s general direction to become Canada’s most livable community. That’s why the County works hard to engage with residents about their needs and financial outlooks, as well as general attitudes about the County.  

Numerous surveys throughout the year gauge residents’ satisfaction, fiscal outlooks and service needs. Read the County’s latest budget survey report for an idea of what Council and Administration know about residents’ needs. 

Residents are also always welcome to reach out to their Councillors or the Mayor directly and are welcome to sign up to attend the November 21 Budget public hearing.  

During budget deliberations, Strathcona County evaluates funding needs across various areas, including emergency services, road maintenance, recreation facilities, social services, infrastructure upkeep, and capital projects. 

The County assesses the total funds required to maintain and enhance these services and then compares it to projected revenues from various sources, such as provincial or federal governments grants, user fees, permits and existing taxes. 

Using this information, Administration estimates the additional tax revenue needed to support the County’s many services. Council then carefully deliberates on potential tax rate adjustments, balancing the fiscal needs of the County with the priorities and well-being of residents and the broader community.  

Property taxes are Strathcona County’s primary revenue stream. Each property in Strathcona County is regularly assigned a value by an assessment authority, which is in alignment with assessment and taxation legislation in Alberta. This value is typically based on the estimated market value of the property as of a certain date. The assessed value of a property can then be used to calculate its property tax. 

After considering projected revenues from sources like fees and grants, Strathcona County estimates its remaining operating and capital expenses. These costs are then allocated to residential, commercial, and industrial properties through property taxes. Here, the County’s broad figure of expenses is divided among these properties to determine a proposed tax rate (also known as a millage rate or mill rate). 

The mill rate is the amount of tax you pay for every $1,000 of your property’s assessed value (the word ‘mill’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘thousandth’).  

For example, if the mill rate is 5, it means you pay $5 in taxes for every $1,000 your property is worth. So, if your property is assessed at $400,000 and the mill rate is 5, your property tax would be (400,000/1000) x 5, which amounts to $2,000. By setting a dollar amount per $1,000 of value, the mill rate makes it easy for property owners to understand how their taxes are calculated.  

Your tax dollars help maintain a safe and thriving community. Here’s how your tax dollars contributed to the County in recent years: 

• Over 6,000 calls for an immediate police response by 101 RCMP Officers 

• Approximately 25,000 calls serviced by the RCMP and 31 full-time Community Peace Officers 

• Over 11,000 emergency medical and fire response calls tended to by over 178 full-time and 29 part-time emergency responders 

• Crews maintained 1,747 km of urban and rural roads and 187 km of trails 

• A fleet of 89 transit buses, providing over 1.2 million transit trips 

• Operated and maintained the Broadview Enviroservice Station, Broadview and Ardrossan recycling stations, and the HodgePodge Lodge

• Issued 1,042 development permits and 1,153 permits for new residential units 

• Operated 16 recreation, culture and agricultural facilities 

• Accommodated over one million admissions to our recreation facilities  

• And much, much more! 

Read more about property tax calculations and estimate your taxes. 

Key projects include the following:  

• Station 7 Fire Hall: Currently in the planning and design phase, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027. The project is budgeted at $27 million, covering both the building and necessary servicing.  

• Sherwood Park Arena: In the concept phase for upgrades; construction expected to commence in 2027. Budgeted at $12 million. 

• Multi-use indoor fieldhouse: In the concept phase; construction expected to commence in 2026. Budgeted at $65 million. 

• Seniors’ Centre: In the concept phase; construction expected to commence in 2027/2028. Initial budget at $10 million. 

For all projects the scope and design are still to be determined, and the budget will be reviewed and refined as needed. 

As we prepare for Budget 2026, Strathcona County continues to navigate a complex environment shaped by both local and global pressures. Uncertain trade relations between Canada and the United States are influencing tariffs, foreign exchange rates, and inflation, creating volatility in costs for goods and services. These global factors, combined with inflationary trends and supply chain uncertainties, make financial forecasting more challenging and increase costs for construction, procurement, and service delivery. The County must remain agile in responding to these external pressures while maintaining fiscal stability.

At the local level, the impacts of growth are significant. Strathcona County’s expanding population is driving higher demand for programs, infrastructure, and essential services, which in turn increases operating and capital costs. Managing these growth-related expenses requires careful prioritization to ensure service quality is maintained without compromising financial sustainability. At the same time, a renewed focus on maintaining and rehabilitating aging infrastructure is critical to prevent costly failures and ensure reliability. Balancing investments in new development with the upkeep of existing assets adds complexity to long-term planning.

To address these challenges, Council and Administration are continuing a proactive, multi-year budgeting approach. This strategy focuses on identifying needs as accurately as possible while preparing for unforeseen events. At the same time, it addresses the pressures of community growth and global economic uncertainty. A key priority is maintaining a strong asset management reserve strategy and continually evaluating its adequacy to ensure the County is saving enough to meet future requirements.

A recreation infrastructure tax is a type of property tax that helps Strathcona County fund the development, maintenance and improvement of recreational facilities and infrastructure. This can include community centers, sports complexes, parks, playgrounds, trails, and other recreational spaces. This tax allows Strathcona County’s communities to invest in and sustain their recreational assets, ensuring they are accessible, modern and encourage active, healthy lifestyles. 

Strathcona County remains focused on becoming Canada’s most livable community by providing residents with the same great value for services that they have come to expect at a reasonable, responsible and informed tax rate.  

Council and Administration put great emphasis on economic and community prosperity and recognize that the County’s tax rate, one of the lowest in the region, is crucial to developing the local economy. The County’s comparatively low tax rate ensures that it supports innovation and growth opportunities in the industrial, commercial, agricultural and local business sectors, while also promoting emerging sectors and supporting innovation, economic diversification and tourism. 

The net impact for the 2026 recommended budget for each of the divisions is:  

• Infrastructure & Planning Services - $71.0M  
• Community Services - $133.9M  
• Corporate Services - $51.9M  
• Corporate Fiscal Strategies (virtual department) - $245.4M 
• Office of the Chief Commissioner - $3.2M 
• Elected Officials - $1.7M