Beaumont, Alberta residents can now share what matters most to them as the city plans its 2027 budget through a new online survey. The City of Beaumont launched the three-minute questionnaire to help guide how municipal dollars are spent on taxes, services, and infrastructure. The survey is open until August 20, 2026.
The initiative comes as Beaumont continues to grapple with rapid growth. The city saw its population jump 23 per cent over the last five years, reaching 26,305 people in 2025, making it one of Alberta’s fastest-growing communities. That expansion is straining everything from roads to recreation to public safety, while rising costs, inflation, and reduced provincial funding add financial pressure.
Last year’s budget process offers a glimpse of how public input can shape outcomes. Council began 2026 budget talks with a recommended tax increase of 8.87 per cent but whittled it down to a 4.79 per cent hike when they approved the budget on November 27, 2025. For a homeowner with a property assessed at $500,000, that meant an extra $164.74 a year, or about $13.73 per month, in municipal taxes. The recommended budget had earmarked 1.92 per cent of the increase to rebuild city reserves depleted during a 2024 budget shortfall, and the final approved budget included a $2.8-million transfer toward restoring those reserves.
The 2026 budget also added resources to keep up with demand, funding two more full-time firefighters and two more community peace officers. Those hires respond directly to growing call volumes and resident concerns tied to Beaumont’s expanding population.
Mayor Lisa Vanderkwaak, who took office in October 2025 after winning with 1,602 votes, has emphasized responsible growth and getting value for residents’ tax dollars. Survey results will give the seven-member council a clearer picture of what Beaumont households want as they weigh competing needs.
Residents can find the survey on the city’s website. It asks straightforward questions about spending priorities, tax levels, and where the city should direct its attention in the year ahead.
