Medicine Hat the top municipal government spender

The CTF’s Alberta director is urging all municipalities to rein in spending.

“Municipal governments in Alberta are some of the biggest spenders in Canada and this report allows Albertans to see which municipalities are the worst,” said Franco Terrazzano, the CTF’s Alberta Director. “The more money Alberta councillors spend, the less money that families and businesses have to weather this economic storm. That’s why every municipal council must cut all the fat and lower property taxes.”

In 2018, the City of Medicine Hat renewed its Financially Fit model as it struggled to replace revenue lost due to the downturn in the oil and gas sector.

The CTF report is based on data published by the Alberta government.

Among medium-sized municipalities (population 5,000-30,000), the Municipal District of Greenview south of Grande Prairie spends the most at $14,911. Cypress County is the highest spender locally at $4,116. The average of the 74 communities is $3,397.

For small towns (fewer than 5,000), Municipal District of Ranchland north of the Crowsnest Pass tops the list at $23,151 annually. Municipal District of Acadia is the top local spender at $4,555. The average of the 195 communities is $3,797.

The report says Alberta municipal governments tend to spend more than their counterparts in other provinces. Calgary and Edmonton spend more per person than other major Western Canadian cities and would spend $656 million and $566 million less respectively if their spending was brought in line with per person spending in the major Western Canadian cities outside Alberta.

“Alberta’s municipal per capita expenses were the second-highest among provinces (behind Ontario where municipalities also deliver a range of social services),” explained the Blue Ribbon Panel on Alberta’s finances.

“Everyone needs to do their part right now and that means municipal governments need to tighten their belts like everyone else,” said Terrazzano.

Some of the communities in southern Alberta are listed below, with their rank in the category in parentheses.

Big cities (14 communities):

Medicine Hat (1): $6,243
Lethbridge (3): $3,956
Calgary (8): $3,044
Airdrie (14): $2,172

Medium-sized municipalities (74 communities):

Cypress County (17): $4,116
County of Newell (19): $4,021
Taber (35): $3,075
MD of Taber (37): $2,961
Brooks (65): $2,251
Redcliff (66): $2,224

Small towns (195 communities):

Municipal District of Acadia (37): $4,555
Oyen (57): $3,838
County of Forty Mile (64): $3,563
Foremost (65): $3,524
County of Warner (20): $2,666
Bassano (161): $2,212
Vauxhaul (162): $2,209
Bow Island (174) $2,055

by CHAT News Today

Medicine Hat the top municipal government spender

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