Whitecourt town council has approved the 2026 Final Budget with a 4.45 per cent tax rate increase.
This is no change from December 2025, when the interim budget was approved with the same increase.
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Related: Whitecourt town council approves 2026 Interim Budget with 4.45 per cent property tax increase
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Council approved amendments to the interim budget at a special meeting on April 8, to reflect current grant amounts, assessments, strategic planning, updated costs and year-end project updates. Some amendments include:
- $25,931 for a community policing position
- $130,000 for a Mink Creek Road Pathway
- $304,647 for new cell construction at the landfill
Altogether, 65 amendments were proposed, 50 of which had no impact to taxation requirements. Fifteen did affect taxation, four of which reduced the impact.
Once amendments were considered, council was left with $18.2 million in expenses needing to be collected through taxation, requiring the 4.45 per cent increase.
The town says this budget supports priorities identified by council and its intention to sustain service levels, while ensuring the sustainability and growth of
the community.
Budget information will be available on the town’s website following council’s approval of the Tax Rate Bylaw on April 27.
