Grande Prairie City Council has concluded deliberations for the 2025 Budget, approving both a four-year operating budget and a five-year capital budget which outline financial strategies and priorities for maintaining quality service standards amid rising costs and ongoing economic pressures.

To enhance the delivery of the City’s 292 essential services, the 2025 budget includes updates to the City’s organizational structures and systems to improve efficiency, create clearer lines of accountability, optimize resources, and support agility to take advantage of upcoming opportunities.

What Homeowners Can Expect

Budget 2025 requires a 2.28 per cent tax increase, which equates to approximately $6.15 per month for the average single-family dwelling, compared to the 2024 tax year. This increase will help address inflation, contractual obligations and revenue challenges, while maintaining the quality service delivery residents expect and positioning the City strongly for future growth.

“The 2025 Budget strikes a balance between fiscal responsibility and meeting the needs of our community, while positioning Grande Prairie for future growth and opportunity,” said City of Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton. “Council and Administration have worked hard to deliver a budget that ensures quality service delivery and minimizes the impact of rising costs on residents. By keeping the average annual property tax increase to less than 1 per cent over the past seven years - despite a cumulative inflation rate of over 20 per cent - we’ve reinforced our commitment to affordability. With a strong local economy and continued investment in amenities and enhanced services, we are proud to support Grande Prairie’s goals of growth, development, and investment, ensuring it remains a vibrant and affordable place to live.”

“The City, like many others, has not been immune to the increasing costs for essential services, supplies and labor, alongside revenue pressures and growing demands for enhanced service delivery,” says Chief Financial Officer, Danielle Whiteway. “This budget introduces necessary adjustments to ensure the efficient, high quality service delivery our residents expect while positioning ourselves to adapt to the financial pressures we face.” 

Budget 2025 Highlights 

The 2025 Budget contains key investments aimed at improving the quality of life and fostering growth in Grande Prairie, with a focus on infrastructure, community services and economic development. Key highlights include: 

• $18.8 million for road, sidewalks and path improvements, including projects like the old Highway 43 rehabilitation program and intersection upgrades.
• $3.75 million in capital funding for the Integrated Emergency Coordination Centre (IECC) that implements an integrated dispatch model that includes 911, police, fire, Mobile Outreach and Enforcement Services. This will enhance community safety by improving the efficiency of emergency response times through local evaluation and dispatch of emergency and non-emergency calls.
• $83,500 for the Regional Workforce (Work NW Alberta) to help map out coordinated targeted actions to help address employment demands, establish a skilled and resilient workforce and tap into opportunities to drive a competitive environment across the region.
• $50,000 for the Fibre Project to assess and improve broadband and fibre capacity in Grande Prairie, focusing on supporting residents, local businesses and reducing barriers to innovation and investment.
• $100,000 for the Health Care Attraction & Retention Strategy to implement targeted initiatives for physicians and healthcare practitioners, supporting their integration and connection within the community.
• $100,000 for the Urban Forest Strategy with a current focus on targeted tree grove installations along the former bypass from 100 Ave. to 100 St.
• $300,000 for playground and amenity replacement to support the diverse needs of all families
• $90,000 in funding for transit route expansion to increase the capacity of on-demand services and allow the extension of transit serves into Copperwood.

Budget Engagement 

The City of Grande Prairie conducted community engagement on the 2025 Budget from September 16 to October 6, gathering input from residents on their priorities for City projects, programs and services. The feedback was compiled and presented to City Council on October 29, 2024.

During the engagement process, 400 plus visitors explored the online tools, 150 people attended the in-person event and 23 organizations participated in the stakeholder session.

The full report on the engagement is available at: engage.cityofgp.com/budget2025. 

Budget Background 

The City of Grande Prairie uses Priority Based Budgeting (PBB) to align its annual budget with Council’s strategic priorities. PBB ensures municipal funds support services that best meet these priorities, guided by feedback from residents and stakeholders. This method helps make proactive, flexible decisions and ensures the City can adapt to economic and political changes. 

All budget decisions are linked to Council’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. Approved May 2, 2022, this document guides Council decisions over the course of their term. The Strategic Plan is built on the following pillars: 

• Quality of Life 
• Innovative Efficiencies & Economic Readiness 
• Inclusive Caring Community 
• Engaging Relationships 

The full budget will be available at cityofgp.com/budget following ratification at the December 2 City Council meeting.