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Alberta Municipalities Roundtable


Today’s conversation sits at the intersection of some of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—facing Alberta’s municipalities right now.


With Budget 2026 now on the table, many local leaders are raising concerns about what it means on the ground. From shifting tax burdens onto property owners, to stalled infrastructure funding, to the absence of increased investment in prevention programs like FCSS, municipalities are being asked to do more—often with less clarity, less capacity, and fewer resources.


At the same time, there’s a growing need to have an honest, province-wide conversation about property taxes. Through Alberta Municipalities’ Property Taxes Reimagined work, we’re seeing a push to better explain why property taxes have risen so significantly, and how decisions made at different levels of government ultimately show up on municipal tax bills. For many Albertans, the system isn’t well understood—but they’re certainly feeling the impact.


And all of this is unfolding just as municipal leaders prepare to gather for the Spring Municipal Leaders’ Caucus. It’s a key moment. A chance to hear directly from provincial leadership, to compare notes across communities, and to dig into complex topics like governance, councillor responsibility, public safety, and the long-term sustainability of municipal funding.


But underlying all of these conversations is a bigger question: how do we build communities that are not just reactive—but resilient? That’s where programs like Family and Community Support Services come in. FCSS represents the front line of prevention—helping people stay housed, connected, and supported before challenges escalate into crises that cost more, both financially and socially. And yet, without increased investment, that preventative capacity is under real strain.


So today, we’re bringing those threads together—Budget 2026, property taxes, FCSS, and the upcoming Municipal Leaders’ Caucus—to ask: what do municipalities need right now, and what needs to change moving forward?


I’m joined by three municipal leaders who bring perspectives from across the province: Alberta Municipalities President, and Councillor for Grande Prairie, Dylan Bressey, Alberta Municipalities Directors, Towns-West, and Mayor of Calmar, Krista Gardner and Alberta Municipalities Directors, Cities Up To 500,000, and City of Chestermere Councillor, Janelle Sandboe.


Together, we’ll explore what’s top of mind heading into MLC, and how leaders can make the most of this moment to advocate—not just for their own communities, but for the future of municipalities across Alberta.

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This episode of Municipal Affairs is made in partnership with Alberta Municipalities: Strength in Members https://www.abmunis.ca/ ------

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