Leduc County passes 2026 interim budget

LEDUC COUNTY -- Leduc County has approved its 2026 interim budget.

County staff say the budget for the upcoming fiscal year totals $135,520,064 in spending. The interim operating budget, which covers day-to-day municipal operating expenses, is set at $113,283,989. They add that this includes just over $34.2 million in requisitions collected on behalf of the Government of Alberta and the Leduc Regional Housing Foundation.

This year's interim capital budget, which includes infrastructure costs for buildings, roads, bridges and equipment, is set at $22,236,075. Of this, $14,000,000 has been set aside for road projects and maintenance. County Mayor Tanni Doblanko says this will allow them to maintain the region's vast transportation network, including its rural roads.

"We have 1,700 kilometres of gravel roads in the County," said Mayor Doblanko. "Ensuring those are in good shape, because a lot of our agriculture and business relies on those."

The interim budget also contains $3,000,000 for bridge projects, $2,780,000 in cost-share recreation support to five partner urban municipalities, $1,300,000 for public transit, and $7,300,000 for the new water transmission line. Mayor Doblanko says new funding has been allocated towards the Whitemud Landing project, which is a new area identified for the long-term land supply for employment purposes within the County.

"Our area around Nisku is actually starting to fill up, and probably in the next five-to-seven years, that industrial park area will be pretty full," said Doblanko. "Again, planning ahead, we're looking at something for the west side of the airport."

The interim budget outlines how municipal tax dollars will be used for 2026 and allows projects to proceed or continue until the final budget is approved by Council next spring. The 2026 interim municipal budget represents a 1.5 per cent tax increase over the 2025 final budget. The decision to approve the budget followed one and a half days of public deliberations in late November.

"The 2026 interim budget is one Council can stand behind," says Mayor Doblanko. "It is fiscally responsible and allows us to both plan for the future and provide the services our residents and businesses need today."

Doblanko says this year's budget will allow the region to prepare for the continued growth of Leduc County.