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 

• Collected over 5,000 tonnes of recyclable material 

• Operated and maintained 665 km of watermains and 453 km of sewer lines 

• Delivered 29 million litres of water per day 

• 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 2025, we are faced with a complex environment shaped by both local and global pressures. At the local level, rising labour costs, labour shortages, and retirements are putting increased strain on budgets, making it challenging to attract and retain skilled workers. The need to maintain and upgrade aging infrastructure adds another layer of financial pressure, as municipalities strive to prevent costly failures and inefficiencies. Additionally, as reliance on digital services grows, the risk of cybersecurity threats has escalated, requiring investments in robust protections. At the same time, rising service delivery costs in expanding communities and a decline in provincial grant funding complicate efforts to meet community needs while maintaining fiscal balance. 

Shifts in federal and provincial policies could alter funding formulas and introduce new compliance requirements, impacting municipal financial planning. Economic volatility, driven by global trends such as supply chain disruptions and fluctuating interest rates, affects local costs, making budget forecasting more unpredictable. The push to adopt emerging technologies for smarter urban and rural management presents a dual challenge: managing the high upfront costs while anticipating long-term benefits. Additionally, demographic shifts, including aging populations and migration trends, are increasing demands on social services, putting further pressure on municipal resources. Budget 2025 must navigate these diverse factors to create a balanced plan that supports sustainable growth while addressing fiscal and operational challenges. 

Since the global pandemic, inflation has been increasing, leading to a higher baseline price for many goods and services. Delays and large lead times for suppliers to provide procured goods has also had significant impacts on the global supply chain. As a result, construction costs have risen greatly, meaning that maintaining our transportation and facility infrastructure or building new facilities has become more expensive and we are still catching up.   

To handle these challenges, Council and Administration have been working closely to plan a multi-year budget, with regular discussions to proactively assess fiscal risk going forward. To offset these risks, Council and Administration are working hard to upkeep financial reserves, ensuring that the County can maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure while dealing with unforeseen financial impacts. 

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 2025 recommended budget for each of the divisions is:  

• Infrastructure & Planning Services - $48.0M  
• Community Services - $125.8M  
• Corporate Services - $60.4M  
• Corporate Fiscal Strategies (virtual department) - $231.5M 
• Office of the Chief Commissioner - $7.8M 
• Elected Officials - $1.7M