Edmonton council passes 1.9% budget increase, tax bills to rise $50 on average

After a pandemic tax freeze in 2021, Edmonton City Council will hike taxes in 2022.

Councillors passed a property tax increase of 1.9 per cent on Friday, with investments being made in rec centres, social programs, and a new maintenance yard in Ambleside.

"Overall, this is gonna be a very good budget, and doing that while keeping taxes very affordable," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.

"Council recognizes the financial realities people are dealing with, at the same time recognizes that we still have to invest in our city," Coun. Andrew Knack said.

Council approved $283 million for a new rec centre in Lewis Farms, $153 million for the Coronation Rec Centre and Velodrome, and $10.5 million to renovate the Peter Hemingway Leisure Centre.

"Our city is growing in ways that I think, frankly, we are still getting comfortable with and we’re hearing the call for facilities to match that growth. This project is needed for the west end," Coun. Sarah Hamilton said of the Lewis Farms project.

Council also decided that Edmonton Police Service will get a smaller budget increase than was previously earmarked. That budget will be $384 million, down from the $395 million that a previous version of council planned for.

Instead, the $11 million difference will be spent on social programs and crime prevention.

"It’s certainly showing that we want to be investing in equity, in long term solutions as well that kind of break the cycles of some of the things we see over and over again," Coun. Anne Stevenson said.

'BAD MANAGEMENT'

Five councillors voted against that last-minute EPS budget adjustment, including Coun. Tim Cartmell, who wanted to give police an extra year to readjust.

"Because there's no plan of what to do with that money…it feels punitive. It feels like we're laying blame at people's feet. That is going to really hurt morale in that service," Cartmell said, calling the decision "bad management."

Councillors Karen Principe and Jennifer Rice often found themselves on the losing side of votes, as both wanted to spend less money.

"There’s a difference between needs and wants. And obviously, needs for social programming is very important, but having said that we need to be making sure that resources are being spent properly," Principe said.

Other approved projects include more public washrooms, planning for a new sports facility in north Edmonton and support for artists and children's sports programs.

Council also spent $3.4 million to freeze transit fares.

The operating budget will be $3.1 billion.

The tax increase was expected to cost the average homeowner about $50 on top of what they paid in 2021.

The final budget passed by a vote of 10-3.

Councillors Tim Cartmell, Karen Principe and Jennifer Rice voted against it.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson