(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Budget highlights

Red Deer County council approves 2026-28 operating budget and 2026-30 capital budget

Dec 16, 2025 | 5:44 PM

Red Deer County council approved the 2026-2028 operating budget and the 2026-2030 capital budget today.

The operating budget for 2026 was approved for $64 million, and the capital budget at $36.4 million for a total budget of $100.4 million.

Furthermore, the total budget for 2027 was approved at $90.4 million and in 2028 at $82.6 million.

“I’m proud that we have sped up our path to sustainability by a full year. For this council, it’s really just the beginning,” said Mayor Brent Ramsay in a media release. “As part of council’s strategic plan, we have committed to look at our operating service levels and hope to begin this work at the start of 2026. Council is excited for what lies ahead.”

The county says capital spending will decrease in 2026 from last year’s $53.4 million to $36.4 million, as well as the operating budget from $65.7 million to $64 million.

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(Red Deer County/Supplied)

Some of the key infrastructure investments and initiatives include the Regravel Program ($5.3 million), Paving Program ($5.25 million), Bridge Program ($3.7 million), and Red Deer Regional Airport Contributions ($1.05 million).

In terms of expenditures $162,000 was approved for economic development, $150,000 for the Innisfail Aquatic Centre, $1,078,000 for the Red Deer Regional Airport, $734,559 to Rural Connect Ltd., $307,032 as a cost-of-living adjustment, $900,000 towards bad debts, and $725,000 for contingency.

The full budget highlights can be found on the county website.