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

Welcome to Cross Border Interviews. Our goal is to create meaningful municipal conversations that inform, connect, educate and strengthen communities from coast to coast to coast in Canada. For this edition of Cross Border Interviews, we are honoured to welcome to the show, Town of Rosthern, Saskatchewan, Mayor Dennis Helmuth. The Town of Rosthern is strategically located halfway between Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Known for its welcoming atmosphere, Rosthern is a hub for he

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

Welcome to Cross Border Interviews. Our goal is to create meaningful municipal conversations that inform, connect, educate and strengthen communities from coast to coast to coast in Canada. For this edition of Cross Border Interviews, we are honoured to welcome to the show, Town of Blackfalds Councillor Aaron Hoyte People make Blackfalds home because of its opportunities and quality of life while maintaining a rural-feeling lifestyle, recreational amenities, affordable housin

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