According to a new report from the Fraser Institute the County of Grande Prairie spent the most per person in 2023.
The report from the institute looks at how much the municipality spends on infrastructure and other services the community relies on daily. This spending includes maintaining local roads and water systems, fire safety resources and recreational spaces. According to the report, to keep these services, the municipality will draw from resource taxes, user fees, and intergovernmental transfers to pay for maintaining these services and improving them. It can impact the local cost of living, local tax competitiveness, and the broader economic landscape.
The Fraser Institute report looks at 26 Albertan municipalities with populations over 17,000 people in 2023.
The County of Grande Prairie spent $5,413 per person in 2023, the highest per person spending of the year per person out of the 26 municipalities looked at. The City of Lethbridge finished 3rd on the list, spending $4,423 per person. Red Deer was 6th with $3,788 per person, Cold Lake was 7th with $3,646 per person, and the City of Grande Prairie finished 10th, spending $3,342 per person in 2023.
Other municipalities that were in the top 10 in 2023 for per person spending include Red Deer County, Canmore, Strathcona County, Leduc, and Rockyview County.
The province’s largest cities, Edmonton and Calgary, were 12th and 13th on the list. Edmonton spent $3,241 per person and Calgary $3,144 per person.
