On April 5, Brazeau County Council passed its final budget for 2024, with a focus on core services and ratepayer relief.
The budget maintains the years-long freeze on municipal taxes. Fees, which were limited to zero or to minimal levels in previous years, are not set to increase.
The budget also includes $14 million in capital investment in roads, equipment replacement, and other infrastructure, and accounts for a 30% incentive on residential taxes that are paid on time. It also maintains the 25% decrease in municipal taxes for properties for the small business sub-class.
“We as a Council are always aware that tax dollars are not our dollars, so we take as few as we can to provide services to residents,” says Reeve Bart Guyon says Reeve Bart Guyon. “And we know that keeping taxes low is part of what makes Brazeau County so attractive as a place to live, work, and do business.”
Infrastructure investments and other initiatives include:
- 27.2 km of newly budgeted improvements to existing roads
- 16.8 km of improvements to roads carried over from the 2023 budget
- Investment in solar power installation at the Cynthia SAS water treatment plant
- Relocation of a portion of the walking path on the ring road near Drayton Valley
- A new Fire services Command Vehicle for Drayton Valley/Brazeau County Fire Services
- A new playground at Rocky Rapids Community Hall
- A second $1,000 ASB bursary
- A modernized radio system to allow Fire Services to use the same communication system as the RCMP and other emergency responders (Year 2 of a 5 year commitment)
Once finalized, the budget will be available at www.brazeau.ab.ca, and information on taxes, including the incentive and reduced tax rate, will be published online and in the May/June issue of the Brazeau County News.
For more information on the budget, please contact Acting Chief Administrative Officer Colin Swap at 780-542-7777 or cswap@brazeau.ab.ca.