By Erika Chorostil

0% increase in municipal taxes

Town of Drayton Valley approves Interim 2021 Budget

Dec 10, 2020 | 10:29 AM

In a Special Meeting of Council on December 9, Drayton Valley Town Council passed the interim Capital and Operating Budget for 2021.

The Interim Budget includes a 0% increase in municipal taxes, which still carries a 10% reduction from previous years.

Following a difficult year, council says it has reprioritized capital and operational expenses and will be focusing on core service delivery, as well as key initiatives that drive economic diversification while continuing to hold taxation at 0%.

Over the last year, council made changes to the 2020 budget to support the community through the COVID-19 pandemic. This included increasing spending on capital projects by $2 million in an effort to “Get Drayton Valley Back to Work” with projects tailored to the resources available locally. In addition to this, Town Council implemented several financial relief measures for residents including deferrals on utility and tax bills as well as refunding business license fees. A five percent rebate was also offered to residents who paid their taxes in full by June 30, 2020.

The Town of Drayton Valley says the 2021 Interim Budget reflects Town Council’s continued commitment to support the community during the current challenging and uncertain times.

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Council says following a “rigorous review” of operational functions and capital projects, the 2021 budget was reduced by $1.5 million. In an effort to keep expenses down and to allow Town Council to maintain existing taxation levels, Administration eliminated vacant positions, saving on wage expenses, and also rescheduled non-critical capital projects for completion over the next few years.

Spending on capital projects is being reduced in 2021 following a busy construction season in 2020 which saw the completion of several major infrastructure projects. Capital spending in 2021 will include the replacement of the pedestrian bridge near the Omniplex, a columbarium at the cemetery, improvements at the RV campground as well as the yearly maintenance program for roads, sidewalks, and trails.

Two major projects that are set to get underway in 2021 is the wastewater lagoon rehabilitation and the new aquatic facility.

73% of the funding required for the wastewater lagoon rehabilitation is being funded through provincial and federal grants totaling $1.7 million.

A $7.5 million grant was received by the federal government to allow construction on the new aquatic facility to proceed, with preparations on the building site already underway. Drayton Valley and Brazeau County have each committed $5 million to the project.

The 2021 budget will be finalized in the spring following a review of the provincial budget, the Brazeau Foundation’s requisition, the Alberta School Foundation Fund requisition, which accounts for 33% of property taxes, as well as the establishment of Brazeau County’s tax rates.