2027 marks the beginning of a new four-year capital budget approval cycle, with Council approving infrastructure investments for 2027 through 2030.

Each fall, Council also approves an annual operating budget for municipal programs and services, accompanied by a forecast for the following three years to support longer-term planning. The goal is to balance affordable taxes with the services residents and businesses rely on.

2026 Multi-Year Approved Budget (46.5 MB)

Budget planning happens year round

Budget development is a year-round process involving planning, analysis and collaboration across the organization.

• Planning and preparation: Council and Administration set budget priorities and hold strategic planning sessions. Early discussions also focus on financial outlook and key pressures.

• Development: departments prepare draft budgets and share early financial information and project plans. 

• Submission and review: departments finalize operating and capital budgets, staffing requests, fees, rates, charges and business cases. Leadership reviews the full draft budget. 

• Council review and public input: the proposed budget is presented to Council and residents. Council holds budget meetings, and residents can share their feedback before the budget is approved. 

• Approval and amendments: Council votes on the final budget. After approval, the budget may be adjusted through budget amendments, which must be approved by Council. 

Resident feedback helps set priorities

Council and Administration gather feedback throughout the year to better understand community needs and priorities. 

Residents can share their views through: 

• The annual budget survey; 

• The annual public satisfaction survey; 

• Direct feedback to your Councillor or the Mayor; and 

• The budget public hearing. 

Public input helps Council make informed budget decisions and understand what matters most to the community. 

Balancing community needs and affordability

When developing the budget, Strathcona County reviews the funding needed to support services and projects including, but not limited to:

• Infrastructure and capital projects, 

• Emergency services, 

• Road maintenance, 

• Recreation facilities, and 

• Social services. 

The County also looks at expected revenue from sources such as government grants, user fees, permits and existing property taxes. 

Using this information, Administration estimates how much municipal tax revenue is needed to support infrastructure, services and projects. Council then reviews the options and considers both affordability and community needs when setting the tax rate. 

The cost of municipal services is shared across residential, commercial and industrial properties through property taxes. 

Learn more about property tax calculations and estimate your taxes. 

The budget cycle

Resident feedback informs all parts of the budget cycle. This includes the budget, strategic plan, corporate business plan and the annual report. The budget supports the strategic plan, which is tracked through the corporate business plan and is then reported in the annual report.