Clearwater County council has approved its 2026 operating and capital budget.

The budget includes operating revenues of $76.86 million and transfers from restricted surplus of $782,011. That will go toward supporting operating expenses of $58.87 million and transfers to restricted surplus of $18,755,311.

Council also approved the 2026 capital budget, which includes overall expenditures of $40.3 million.

Total funding sources of $117,954,874 include:

• Tax revenue of $66.8 million
• Transfers from restricted surplus of $32.5 million
• Other revenues of $18.6 million

Notable initiatives included in the budget include contributions to a washroom facility at the new bike park in Rocky Mountain House ($60,000), a cost share agreement to allow Ferrier Community Hall to apply for a CFEP grant ($125,000), and money for the expansion of the Leslieville Cemetery ($253,000).

Additionally, there is $2 million for the ice plant replacement at the Caroline Arena. Half will be funded through a transfer from the Caroline Ag Society and half from an inherited restricted surplus from the former village of Caroline.

The county’s ongoing broadband project was a topic of discussion during deliberations. Council opted to keep expenditures to $2.8 million until a decision can be made regarding the future of the project.

Corporate Services Director Murray Hagan says the funding will allow the broadband project to proceed as normal — at least for the first few months of 2026.

Council will debate how to proceed with the broadband project further in 2026.

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RELATED

• • Clearwater County residents invited to connect to broadband starting Nov. 24
  • Ferrier Hall requests $332K from county to finish construction 
  • Clearwater County to fund up to $1M for Caroline ice plant replacement
  • Rocky Bike Park Society receives major grant to complete bike park project construction

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There were also a number of other adjustments to the budget:

• Gravel road rehab — decreased by $587,000 to $4.4 million
• West Country roads – postponed by one year with detailed design in 2027.
• Asphalt overlay – decrease budget by $1.26 million to $5.6 million. That means removing Arbutus and Rainbow Ford Road upgrades
• A long-debated heated storage facility has been once again postponed. It will again be considered in budget 2027.
• Solid Waste Central Site – long discussed improvements postponed by one year. Detailed design would start in 2027.
• Nordegg Centre Street — $400,000 for the shallow utilities and archaeological dig. Postpone the construction to 2027. Also, Nordegg Trestle 2 postponed to 2027
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RELATED

• • Work nearing completion on historic trestle bridges in Nordegg
  • Clearwater County to spend $500K on expedited O’Chiese gravelling project

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Reeve Jordon Northcott says council will be faced with a long list of decisions in the new year. That includes community hall funding, Caroline infrastructure work, cemeteries in Nordegg and Leslieville, and more.

Reeve Jordon Northcott speaking to the list of projects to be addressed in the county’s 2026 budget

 

As required by the Municipal Government Act (MGA), Clearwater County also approved it 2026 – 2029 Four Year Financial Plan, and its 2026 – 2035 Ten Year Capital Plan.