Learn about the budget process and how the City makes financial decisions.
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Budget Process and Financial Strategy
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Planning
The City's strategic planning framework is 6 plans and processes.
The budgeting process is driven by achieving the goals and priorities as voiced by Council and Edmontonians through ConnectEdmonton and extensive public engagement on The City Plan and the Corporate Business Plan. Learn more about the City's strategic plans.
Where are we now? Where are we going? How will we get there?
Budgeting
Budgets are developed in 4-year cycles.
This longer view helps plan stable programs and services. The budget is reviewed and adjusted each year, as needed.
City Council has finalized the 2023-2026 budget. Details can be found on Engaged Edmonton and in the What We Heard Report .
Capital Budget
The capital budget is for the things the City builds.
It's about the money the City uses for building and maintaining infrastructure.
Examples are:
- Attractions
- Roads and pathways
- Bridges
- LRT expansion
- Recreation centres
- Parks
- Fire halls
- Neighbourhood and Alley Renewal
We pay for this construction through:
- Grants: nearly 39% of the City’s approved capital budget is funded with grants from provincial and federal governments
- Tax-supported debt: The City uses debt in order to take advantage of lower interest rates and move priority infrastructure projects forward
- Reserves: Some of the City’s reserves is money set aside to pay for capital projects on a cash basis over the short term
- Investment income: Much of this income is transferred to the capital budget to pay for new infrastructure
Capital Budget Documents
Capital Budget
2022 Budget Highlights
2024 Budget Highlights
2023 Budget Highlights
Capital Budget Adjustment Report
Presented to Council on November 7, 2023
2023-2026 (Original)
Approved by Council on December 16, 2022
- Responses to Councillor Questions
Full report posted on November 24, 2022Responses Sorted By Question Number
Responses Sorted By Councillor
Attachments:
- Safe Crossing Locations List (Questions 23-105, 23-217, 23-304)
- Impact of Mobile Speed Enforcement Academic Report (Question 23-129)
- Accident Analysis and Prevention Academic Report (Question 23-129)
- 2023-2032 Capital Investment Outlook
Presented to Council on June 7, 2022
2022 Budget Highlights
Spring Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council on June 7, 2022
Fall Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council on November 29, 2021
2021 Budget Highlights
Includes 2020 - Fall Supplemental Adjustment
2019-2022 Capital Budget (Original)
Approved by City Council on December 14, 2018
Capital Profiles
Information about the different capital projects that the City builds.
2020 Fall - Summary of Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustments
Approved by City Council on Dec 9 and 11, 2020
Where the City’s Money Comes From and How It Is Spent
These charts show where we get our capital funding, and the types of projects we spend it on.
Capital Budget Funding Sources
Where our money comes from
Revenues for 2023 as approved on December 16, 2022
Capital Budget by Corporate Outcome
Where our money goes
Expenses for 2023 as approved on December 16, 2022
Operating Budget
The operating budget is about the money the City uses every day for programs and services.
Examples of these programs and services are:
- Maintaining the roads and public transit that move people
- Police, bylaws and fire rescue services to keep people safe
- Attractions, leisure activities, parks and social programs that make Edmonton a great place to live, work and visit
The City gets money from sources including:
- Property taxes: Account for over half of our operating revenues.
- User fees: These include recreation facility admissions, transit fares, parking and building fees and other permits. They are designed to partially recover costs from people who directly use the service.
- Franchise fees: ATCO Gas and EPCOR provide gas, power and wastewater services to Edmontonians. The City charges these operators franchise fees for related costs and land access.
Operating Budget Documents
Operating Budget
2022 Budget Highlights
2024 Budget Highlights
2024-2026 Operating Budget
Approved November 2023
2023 Budget Highlights
Fall Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council in November 7, 2023Spring Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council on April 17, 2023
2023-2026 Operating Budget (Original)
Approved by Council December 2022
-Responses to Councillor Questions - Operating Budget
Full report posted on December 1, 2022Responses Sorted By Question Number
Responses Sorted By Councillor
Attachments:
- Turf By Year Added (Question 23-306)
- Greater Edmonton Foundation Ministerial Orders (Question 23-268)
- Completed Neighbourhood Renewal Program Projects - 2009 - 2022 (Question 23-243)
- Permanent Vacant FTE (Question 23-109)
- Scope of Energy Transition Strategy and Climate Adaptation Strategy Implementation Operating Service Packages (Questions 23-061, 23-086, 23-108, 23-128, 23-129, 23-133, 23-161, 23-220, 23-333, 23-349)
- FCSS Funding Trends (Question 23-010)
- Breakdown of Funding Allocations for Seniors (Question 23-010)
- Breakdown of FCSS Funding Decisions (Question 23-010)
- Agencies, Boards & Commissions - Organizational Charts (Question 23-405)
- Bylaw Ticket Administration Offence List (Question 23-056)
-2023-2032 Operating Investment Outlook
Presented to Council on June 7, 2022
2022 Budget Highlights
Spring Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council on April 19, 2022
Fall Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment
Presented to Council on November 29, 2021
COVID-19 2022 Financial Impacts and Funding Strategy
Presented to Council on November 29, 2021
Edmontonians’ perspectives on taxation levels and service expectations. The results were shared with City Council to support their budget deliberations.
2021 Budget Highlights
Includes 2020 - Fall Supplemental Adjustment
Approved by City Council on Dec 9 and 11, 2020
2019-2022 Operating Budget (Original)
Approved by City Council on December 14, 2018
Supplemental Adjustments
2020 - Spring (COVID)
Approved by City Council on April 27, 20202019 - Fall
Approved by City Council on December 13, 20192019 - Spring
Approved by City Council on April 30, 2019
Waste Services Utility Budget
Waste Services is a public utility.
Residential waste services are funded by monthly utility rates, not property taxes.
Waste Services is governed by the Utility Committee. An independent Utility Advisor provides oversight. The Utility operates under a Waste Services Utility Fiscal Policy .
Examples of these waste services are:
- Waste collection
- Eco Stations
- Reuse Centre
- Big Bin events
- Waste education and outreach
- Edmonton Waste Management Centre operations
- Landfill and utility management
Waste Services Budget Documents
Waste Services Utility Budget
2023-2026 Waste Services Budget
2022 Budget Highlights
Approved by City Council in December 2021
2021 Budget Highlights
Includes 2020 - Fall Supplemental Adjustment
Approved by City Council on December 9 and 11, 2020
2019-2022 Waste Services (Original)
Approved by City Council on December 5, 2018
2019-2022 Waste Services Business Plan
Waste Services Utility Rate Filing
2022 Budget Highlights - page 10
Approved by City Council in December 2021
2021 Waste Services Rate Filing
Blatchford Utility Budget
Blatchford Renewable Energy operates as a municipally owned utility.
Blatchford Renewable Energy owns and operates the Blatchford community’s District Energy Sharing System (DESS). This system will provide heating, cooling and hot water services to Blatchford residents and businesses.
Blatchford Utility Budget Documents
Blatchford Utility Budget
Blatchford Utility Budget Adjustment Report
2023-2026 Blatchford Utility
Responses to Councillor Questions: posted November 24, 2022
Approved 2019-2022 Blatchford Utility (Original)
Blatchford Utility Rate Filing
2022 Budget Highlights - page 12
Approved by City Council in December 2021
2021 Blatchford Utility Annual Rate Filing
Carbon Budget
The City has targets to be carbon neutral for the entire community by 2050, and for the corporation by 2040.
The carbon budget incorporates budget requests from the operating, capital and utility budgets to provide a holistic view of carbon impacts associated with the 2023-2026 budgets.
Other Resources
Financial Policies
- Blatchford District Energy Utility Fiscal Policy
- Debt Management Fiscal Policy
- Edmonton Police Services Funding Formula
- Edmonton Police Service Reserve
- Financing of Local Improvements
- Financial Stabilization Reserve
- Fiscal Policy for Revenue Generation
- Fiscal Policy for the Planning and Development Business
- Investment Policy
- Multi-year Budgeting Policy
- Reserve and Equity Accounts Policy
- Traffic Safety and Automated Enforcement Reserve
- Waste Services Utility Fiscal Policy
White Papers
Debt White Paper
How the City uses debt
Assessment & Taxation White Paper
How assessments and property taxes work
User Fee White Paper
How the City determines user fees
Investments White Paper
How the City uses investments
Franchise Fee White Paper
How the City and utilities use franchise fees
Learn More About Your Budget
Budget Process and Financial Strategy
News Releases
City Council finalizes 2024 spring budget adjustments
April 23, 2024
City releases proposed spring operating budget adjustments
April 11, 2024
City Council confirms fall budget adjustments
November 28, 2023
City releases fall budget adjustments
October 26, 2023
City Council approves 2023-2026 Budget
December 16, 2022