Photo credit: EverythingGP staff

By Curtis Galbraith

County of Grande Prairie

County of Grande Prairie council approves interim 2025 budget

Dec 13, 2024 | 5:03 PM

County of Grande Prairie council has approved an interim budget for 2025, one that includes a deficit of $3.96 million.

In a release, the county says any decisions about property taxes have been put off until April for several reasons, including trying to lower the deficit, assessments, unfunded items and the education levy.

“At this point, we still have time to make adjustments ahead of final budget deliberations in April,” says Reeve Bob Marshall in that release, adding. “For the past five years, our reserves have been used to fund annual deficits. If we continue this trend, our current revenues and future projections do not match the costs associated with supporting our service levels and programs. Additionally, funding transfers to our municipal neighbours for shared services have been increasing year over year.”

The county says just over 56 per cent of the $58.6 million dollar capital budget is going toward work on roads and bridges.

There is another $115.7 million in the operational budget.

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The budget includes the following:

• Approximately 56 per cent of the capital budget is going toward road and bridge projects.
• $7.8 million in grants to various organizations for recreation, health, community, culture, seniors and special needs transportation, and libraries.
• An estimated $4.9 million in Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) contributions, and cost-sharing agreements with other with other municipalities, including the City of Grande Prairie and the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley, pending outcomes of ongoing contract negotiations.
• $1.3 million to the City of Grande Prairie for the revenue sharing agreement which has the purpose of fostering regional development (share of municipal tax revenue – 20 per cent from the co-generational facility and 10 per cent on any new commercial/industrial development in areas serviced by Aquatera).
• $1.2 million to replace the Bezanson water main and curb stop. Council requested that Administration explore possibilities for cost recovery.
• $100,000 to the Compassion House Foundation to support accommodations for women receiving cancer care in Edmonton, to be paid in five annual installments of $20,000 from 2025 to 2029.

Capital budget highlights include:

 $15 million for Phase 1 of the Clairmont Detachment Building

 $14.2 million for the divisional road program

 $9.4 million in surfaced road rehabilitation

 $7.1 million for mobile equipment replacement

 $2.1 million for Morgan’s Mountain Estates Road Surfacing

 $1.7 million for Richmond Hill Estates (West) Road Surfacing

 $1.5 million in sewer line repairs in Hythe

 $1.2 million in water main and curb-stop replacement in Bezanson

 $400,000 upgrade to the Range Road 53 and Highway 43 intersection

Operational budget highlights include:

• $7.8 million in grants to various organizations for recreation, health, community, culture, seniors and special needs transportation, and libraries.
• An estimated $4.9 million in Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) contributions, cost-sharing agreements with other municipalities, including the City of Grande Prairie and the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley, pending outcomes of ongoing contract negotiations.
• An estimated $1.3 million to the City of Grande Prairie for the tax sharing agreement to be allocated to projects fostering regional development (share of municipal tax revenue – 20 per cent from the co-generational facility and 10 per cent on any new commercial/industrial development in areas serviced by Aquatera).
• More than $1.1 million for the County Library Board grant.
• $600,000 to STARS, in installments of $200,000 annually for three years, 2025 to 2027.

The county adds in that same release that a well and pipeline tax holiday imposed by the province has been lifted, adding another $500 million in assessments over the next three years, but any gains will be offset by $1.4 million in unpaid taxes from the oil and gas industry.

The county adds it has lost $10 million over the last four years because of the permanent elimination of the well drilling equipment tax.