It’s been a week since the Alberta government tabled Budget 2026, and across the province, mayors and municipal leaders have been digging into the details. For local governments, the provincial budget isn’t just a headline number — it shapes the financial reality communities will be working with for the year ahead. This year, Alberta is projecting $74.6 billion in revenue, alongside a forecast deficit of $9.4 billion. At the same time, the province has laid out a $28.3 billio

On May 30th, 2026, members of the Conservative Party of British Columbia will choose a new party leader. Leadership contests are not only about party politics—they are also about ideas, priorities, and competing visions for the future of the province. In the weeks leading up to the vote, candidates are outlining their plans for British Columbia, including how they see the role of municipalities and regional districts across the province. Local governments play a central role

For decades, communities along Highway 3 have made the case for change. Stretching from Medicine Hat through Lethbridge and onward to the mountain corridors of the Crowsnest Pass, the route has served as a critical east-west link for agriculture, industry, and rural communities. But much of it remains a narrow, two-lane highway — where motorists contend with powerful prairie crosswinds, heavy truck traffic, farm equipment, and limited passing opportunities. Now, the Alberta g

Last week, Alberta’s fiscal future came into sharper focus with the release of Budget 2026 and the province’s new three-year fiscal plan. In a challenging economic environment, the Government of Alberta has laid out a roadmap that balances deficit spending, economic growth ambitions, and major capital investments—all while municipalities across the province assess what it means for their communities. The numbers tell a complex story. Alberta is projecting $74.6 billion in rev

Last week, the spotlight was on the 2026 Alberta Provincial Budget—and this week it's on what it means for the preventive social services that quietly hold our communities together. In what has been described as an extremely difficult fiscal year, the Government of Alberta has chosen to maintain funding for Family and Community Support Services—known as FCSS—at $105 million. That funding supports municipalities and Métis Settlements across Alberta, helping deliver programs fo

Over the last few weeks, there has been one certainty in Alberta politics. It was predictable, telegraphed, and discussed openly by policy analysts, municipal administrators, and elected officials alike. And yet, when it finally happened, it was met with a chorus of surprise, frustration, and—most troublingly—political theatre. On February 27, the Government of Alberta released its long-awaited provincial budget. For most Albertans, provincial budgets are distant documents, f

The date is approaching. The numbers are being finalized. And across Saskatchewan, municipalities are waiting to see what the provincial budget will deliver. Budgets are more than balance sheets — they are statements of priorities. They determine whether communities can invest in infrastructure, maintain essential services, and plan for the future. And this year, those decisions come at a time when many local governments are facing rising costs, growing demands, and increasin

Across Alberta, a growing number of mayors and councillors are sounding the alarm. They say a major shift in how policing is funded could dramatically reshape local budgets—and ultimately, what residents pay in property taxes. Last month, the Government of Alberta introduced a recalculation to its police funding model. On paper, it’s a formula change. But on the ground, municipal leaders say it’s something far more serious. Some communities are now facing increases of up to 3

For the past several weeks, I have had conversations with mayors across Alberta. They represent communities of every size. Some lead cities have thousands of residents. Others serve villages where everyone knows each other by name and where council meetings still feel like town halls rather than formal proceedings. Despite their differences, they all share one message, delivered with varying degrees of urgency but remarkable consistency. Their municipalities are under financi