STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo credit: EverythingGP staff.
By Curtis Galbraith
County of Grande Prairie

County of Grande Prairie council approves interim 2024 budget

Dec 16, 2023 | 8:30 AM

After three days of deliberations, County of Grande Prairie council has approved an interim 2024 budget.

The budget includes a proposed 2.9 per cent property tax increase. The county says in a release that this “is below the national rate.”

The recommended increase from administration at the start of budget talks was seven per cent.

The county adds that the $157.6 million spending plan includes $109.5 million for operations and $48.1 million for capital projects, with 70 per cent of the capital budget set aside for roads and bridges.

There is also $5.7 million for grants to organizations for seniors, culture, recreation, health, and communities; $3 million to the province to pay for RCMP; $2.4 million for cost-sharing agreements with the city and Towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley under the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework and $1.2 million to the city as part of a money-sharing arrangement with the city meant to prompt regional development.

“For the past four years, we have done everything in our power in a challenging economic environment to avoid increases for residents, including holding the line on property taxes. During that time, Council has been accessing reserves, withdrawing more from savings than we are able to replenish, which is not sustainable,” says Reeve Bob Marshall in a release from the county.

The county says in that same release that provincial changes that paused taxes on new wells and pipelines and eliminated the well drilling equipment tax cost the county around $3 million in the first nine months of 2023. This is on top of the $984,000 the county says it is owed in unpaid property taxes by the oil and gas industry.

The new budget also includes money for meeting the increased need for home support, increased Parkland Patrols, and the installation of television services at the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

Final approval for the budget is set for April when the amount needed for education and property assessment values are finalized by the province.

by Curtis Galbraith