County of Grande Prairie residents will see a 2.9 per cent property tax increase during the 2024 tax year.
On Friday, December 15th county council approved the interim 2024 budget after three days of deliberations. According to the county, council focused on maintaining vital services and programs and worked with administration to keep the tax increase below the seven per cent that was recommended.
A release from the county reads “If approved at final budget in the spring, the proposed 2.9 per cent average municipal tax increase would translate into approximately $56.96 annually, or $4.75 per month on a property valued at $482,000.”
Reeve Bob Marshall adds that in the past four years council has worked to avoid putting increases on residents and one of those ways has been by holding the line on property taxes.”
“During that time, Council has been accessing reserves, withdrawing more from savings than we are able to replenish, which is not sustainable,” Marshall says.
The $157.6 million budget includes an estimated $109.5 million for general operations and $48.1 million for capital investments. Included in the capital budget are several road and bridge projects, which roughly 70 per cent of the money will go towards according to the county.
Also approved in the 2024 budget is $3 million being paid to the provincial government for RCMP policing costs, $2.4 million to the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework, and $1.2 million to the City of Grande Prairie for the revenue sharing agreement. Council also agreed to $5.7 million for grants that will go to organizations that apply; for projects that focus on recreation, health, community, culture, seniors, special needs transportation and libraries.
In April council will approve the 2024 final budget and tax rates once the provincial government confirms the amounts collected for education and property assessment values.