📱 Tip: Charts are best viewed in landscape mode on mobile devices.

Edmonton 2026 Budget Impact - BETA release

Estimate the combined tax impact of Operating decisions and Capital debt servicing.

(The services we deliver)
$
$0 Max: ~$273M
(The things we build)

Every $100M in capital adds approx. $8M in annual debt payments to the operating budget.

$
$0 Max: $1 Billion
= $0 Annual Cost
$

City Typical: $465,500

$

Enter your business property value

City Tax Levy Increase
6.9%
Reset to Baseline (6.9%)
Your Home Impact Residential
$15.84
Yearly Increase
$1.32
Monthly Increase
Est. Total '26 Bill $4,700
Your Business Impact Non-Residential
$106.58
Yearly Increase
$8.88
Monthly Increase
Est. Total '26 Bill $28,300

Estimated Total Bill Breakdown

TOTAL $4,850
Municipal Portion
$3,550
Provincial Education
$1,266
Requisition Allowance ⓘ
$36
Est. Provincial Increase 0%
Note: Municipal estimates include the 2026 tax levy increase. Provincial Education estimates are based on the 2025 mill rates ($2.72 Residential, $4.00 Non-Residential) as 2026 rates are not yet released.

The Inflation Reality Check

Simulator: Shift the Spending Basket

The Reality: When the City's costs (MPI) rise faster than your household costs (CPI), a tax increase matching "normal" inflation actually results in a service cut.

🛒
Inflation Rate
2.5%
Household Goods
🚜
Household (CPI) City Operations (MPI)
Your dollar buys milk and clothes. Inflation is ~2.5%.

The Current Reality: 4 Key Pressures

1. Savings Drained
Financial Stabilization Reserve

Used to subsidize taxes during COVID. Now far below threshold (~$64.5M needed).

2. Structural Deficit
Costs > Revenue

Base costs (wages, fuel) rose faster than tax revenue.

3. The Growth Trap
New Neighbourhoods

Sprawl without density costs more to service than it generates in taxes. (Solution: increase density)

4. Provincial Cuts
Offloading Costs

Cuts to infrastructure grants & GIPOT payments shifted costs to the City.

Rewriting History: The Fiscal Gap (2019-2025)

Drag the slider to see how past tax decisions created the current deficit.
Left: Actual History (Taxes kept low, gap widens). Right: If Council Funded Growth (Taxes match costs, gap closes).

Historical Tax Rates (budgets): If City Fully Funded
Actuals (Gap Widens) Fully Funded (No Gap)
Cumulative Structural Deficit
$0M
Service Status
Critical Strain

Simulate: The "One-Time Fix"

2026 vs. Future
2026 Tax Increase: 0.0%
0% 15% (Correction)
6.4% 2026
? 2027
? 2028
? 2029
? 2030

Infrastructure: The Cost of Waiting

$1M Today
Fix Now
$1M
Fix in 0 Years
Today Future

The Affordability Paradox

Counter-Intuitive Truth: "Cheap" budgets often create expensive cities. By delaying maintenance to save $50 today, we force a $500 emergency repair tomorrow.

📉
Austerity Cycle
Low Taxes Now
↓
Crumbling Infra
↓
Crisis Spending
📈
Investment Cycle
Stable Taxes
↓
Preventative Maint.
↓
Lower Long-Term Cost

You Be the Councillor: Service Balancer

Adjust service levels to see the tax impact.

Budget Impact
$0M
Tax Levy %
0.00%
Household Cost
$0/yr
Community Safety
Eliminate Base Moonshot
Status Quo: Standard response times. Current patrol levels. No new officers for growth areas.
Snow & Ice Control
Eliminate Base Moonshot
Status Quo: Standard grooming. Residential roads bladed to 5cm snowpack. Main roads cleared within 48hrs.
Public Transit
Eliminate Base Moonshot
Status Quo: Current frequency. Maintains current route schedules and bus frequency.
Parks & Grass
Eliminate Base Moonshot
Status Quo: Standard cycle. Grass cut every 10-14 days depending on weather.
Disclaimer: All figures are estimates based on current City of Edmonton financial data, 2025 property assessments, and provincial tax rates. Actual tax bills will vary based on individual property assessment changes and final provincial requisitions. This tool is for educational and planning purposes only.