The City of Red Deer, Alberta, set the course for its 2027 budget and reviewed the status of the local electric system during a meeting on March 24, 2026. While the 2026 property tax increase was finalized earlier this month, council members established five new guidelines to prioritize fixing local roads and pipes in the coming years. The meeting also addressed long-term plans for emergency services and advanced new development projects in growing neighbourhoods.
The approved property tax increase for 2026 is 3.97 per cent, which was significantly lowered from an earlier proposal of 7.36 per cent during the budget process. This change means residents will pay about $29.24 more per year for every $100,000 of their home’s assessed value. The city’s total spending for the year includes $484.5 million for daily operations and $63.9 million for major construction projects. Looking ahead to 2027, the city plans to focus on keeping tax changes balanced and ensuring there is enough money to maintain core services without using up emergency savings.
A yearly report for the Electric Utility confirmed the system maintained overall regulatory compliance in 2025, with no customer complaints recorded and one low-risk non-compliance incident already resolved. The city is currently moving the utility toward a new management model that is expected to be operational by early 2028, pending provincial approval. Additionally, leaders advanced new building rules for the Bower Woods and Emerson areas, including a first reading for a rezoning at 2820 40 Avenue to allow for more commercial space.
Local leaders are also asking the province for more time and information before making changes to ambulance services. Red Deer has used a team of firefighters who are also trained as paramedics since 1962, and the city wants to ensure that any new funding rules from the province do not increase costs for the community or hurt emergency care. While these discussions continue, police reports show that overall crime in the city fell by five per cent at the end of 2025, with break-ins dropping by 34 per cent and vehicle thefts down by 27 per cent.
