Budget Basics

Leduc’s municipal budget is our roadmap for how money will be collected (e.g., property taxes, grants, utility and user fees) and spent over the next three years to provide the infrastructure, programs and services our community members need and want.  

The budget is reviewed and approved one-year-at-time but is developed with a three- and ten-year outlook in mind for the operating and capital budgets, respectively. This helps the City deliver stable services, plan for longer-term community growth and capital projects by identifying upcoming needs and saving for them over time and gives residents an idea of what property taxes may look like. 

Budget needs can change each year, though, so we review the upcoming years’ proposed budgets annually and adjust in response to various factors, including: 

  • New community needs or projects that are identified, 
  • Unanticipated economic changes, or 
  • Changes to provincial and/or federal grant funding or other sources of revenue. 

Operating and capital budgets 

Each municipal budget is made up of an operating budget and a capital budget. 

The operating budget reflects the annual cost of offering services and programs to our residents and businesses, such as social services, water and sewer, snow removal, fire and emergency services, waste collection, and cultural and recreation facilities (like the LRC and Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts). 

In each operating budget, there is fixed spending (hard costs to cover what’s needed to run the municipal government) and variable spending (soft costs that can fluctuate and are attached to specific services that residents receive, such as snow removal).

The City's annual operating budget is governed by the Alberta Municipal Government Act (MGA), which states that all municipalities must not budget for a deficit. This means we cannot plan to take in less money than we need.

The capital budget reflects the cost of upgrades and improvements to city facilities, infrastructure, parks, recreation spaces and roads. In some cases, these projects are quite large and take several years to complete, so their total costs are spread out over that time. 


How the municipal budget is developed 

Leduc’s municipal budget process follows a yearly timeline: 

  • March: Leduc City Council is surveyed to identify needed changes/improvements for the coming year; the Grants to Organizations application period opens allowing local organizations to apply for grant funding from the City based on their needs. 
  • May: Public engagement on the next budget takes place; the Grants to Organizations application period closes. 
  • June/July: Public engagement results are released; pre-budget presentations to Council begin 
  • July through September: City Administration develops the proposed budget. 
  • October/November: The proposed budget (including Grants to Organization funding requests) is shared with the community and presented to Leduc City Council during budget deliberations that take place within regularly scheduled council meetings. (Note: meeting dates change each year but are published on our website and in the local newspaper). 
  • December: The City’s final budget is approved by Leduc City Council and shared with the community. 
  • January: Grants to Organizations funding notifications are sent out. 

How you can get involved 


The City's annual budget priorities are guided by the strategic direction set by Leduc City Council, the City's variety of master plans, Administration’s subject matter expertise and public input. Leduc residents and business owners have several opportunities to share their thoughts or feedback regarding the City's budget. 

You can: 

  • Participate in the annual public engagement opportunities (often a survey) each spring. 
  • Speak directly with Mayor and Council (via phone, email or in-person). 
  • Attend the budget deliberations during Leduc City Council meetings (either in-person or by watching the livestream).
  • Share feedback about the upcoming year’s proposed budget by connecting with Leduc City Council directly or registering to deliver a presentation at a council meeting. 

Community groups can also submit requests for Grants to Organizations funding through the Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) board or the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) board. The application period typically takes place between March and May each year.