City of Grande Prairie Emblem (photo by Emily Keller)

By Liam Verster

Community

Mayor Given says cuts to municipal funding “not a surprise”

Oct 25, 2019 | 1:53 PM

Big cuts seemed to be the theme of the 2020 Provincial Budget, and Grande Prairie’s Mayor is not surprised to see some of the city’s funding getting the axe.

Funding for Municipal infrastructure was slashed, and Mayor Bill Given says that means in order to maintain work on current projects, like sidewalk and road rehabilitation, the money may have to come from somewhere else.

“That could be from property taxes, or it could mean that City Council just plans on doing less capital work over the coming years. That’s the type of discussion that we’ll be having in November.”

Going into 2020 with the knowledge of the impact the Provincial Budget will have on the city, there may be an increase to property taxes. However, Given says the city will possibly look reducing the level of infrastructure work, or try to find other means to fund the projects, so that residents don’t have to face a higher tax rate.

Given says there is a lot of information in the Budget, and more time is needed to evaluate all the details and possible ramifications of the report. However, he says he’s had a brief look over the budget, and notices that local councils will be impacted on two levels.

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“The first would be, of course, the direct financing to municipalities in the form of capital funding. But there are also a number of different services that communities rely on that were also impacted. One example was FCSS funding, which was held steady, and I think that was very good news and a wise decision on behalf of the government. But there are other programs, like the Summer Temporary Employment programs, which I understand have been impacted.”

Given goes on to say the FCSS, or Family and Community Support Services, is a program that is jointly funded by the community and the province, and is happy to see the government continue to support programs for social agencies that help Grande Prairie residents.

He adds that all of Alberta will be impacted by the Provincial Budget, and residents of not only Grande Prairie, but all of Alberta, should look through the report to learn of the changes, and see what will be happening in the coming years.

Given is in Edmonton for an Alberta Urban Municipalities Association meeting. He says AUMA staff is combing through the document, and will be providing some details on it’s impact to members. He says city staff will also dig through the report, and determine the ramifications the Provincial Budget will have on Grande Prairie. Council will use those details when they discuss their 2020 Budget in mid November, and determine how to best serve the residents and continue to provide essential services without the Province’s funding.