What Edmonton's proposed 2027 budget could mean for your wallet

Edmontonians could potentially see some changes to day-to-day expenses next year, with property taxes, transit fares, and recreation fees all potentially increasing under the City’s proposed 2027 budget.

The City of Edmonton will present its proposed 2027-2030 budget to City Council on Monday, Nov. 23, outlining billions of dollars in planned spending over the next four years.

But what would that actually look like for our pocketbooks? Let’s take a look at some of the proposed changes.

Under the proposed budget, Edmontonians would pay approximately $68 per month in property taxes for every $100,000 of their assessed home value in 2027.

That’s an increase of $3.58 per month compared to 2026.

The City notes that this is an early estimate intended to give homeowners an idea of what to expect, with the final amount depending on the budget process and property assessments.

Electricity bills will also see a slight increase. City Council has approved an increase to the municipal rate from 17.65 per cent to 19.4 per cent starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Some of Edmonton’s popular attractions and recreation facilities could also become more expensive next year.

According to the proposed fee schedule, admission to Fort Edmonton Park could actually become cheaper for some visitors. Child admission is proposed to decrease to $14.95, while adult admission would drop to $24.95. Youth and senior admission, meanwhile, would increase by $1.60.

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Golfers could also see some slight increases, with fees at Riverside and Victoria Golf Courses rising anywhere from $1.50 for nine holes to $2 for 18 holes. Rundle Park Golf Course fees would increase by 75 cents.

Recreation centre admission fees are also proposed to increase in 2027.

Single admission value passes could rise by 25 cents for children, youth, and seniors, and 50 cents for adults.

Benefits plus admission would increase by 50 cents for children, youth, and seniors, and 75 cents for adults.

Low-income access programs, however, are not expected to change.

Public transit users could also pay about a dime more to get around town. Cash fares are expected to remain unchanged, while pay-as-you-go fares would increase by 10 cents if the proposed changes were approved.

Monthly transit passes could also become more expensive, with youth passes potentially increasing by $3.30 to $69.30.

Adult monthly passes would rise from $102 to $107.10, while senior passes would increase from $36 to $37.80.

The airport flat rate, meanwhile, will remain unchanged.

Beyond the potential fee changes, Edmonton’s proposed 2027-2030 budget includes billions of dollars in planned infrastructure investments.

The proposed capital budget totals $6.3 billion, with a focus on completing existing construction projects and maintaining the city’s infrastructure.

A total of $3 billion is for already-approved projects and will be used to finish construction projects, including the Capital Line South LRT extension, Southeast Transit Garage, LRT train replacements, Valley Line West LRT, and the Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion.

Another $3.3 billion is proposed for new projects, including $2.3 billion for infrastructure renewal and $958.0 million for projects supporting the city’s growth.

The proposed operating budget would grow from $4.2 billion in 2027 to $4.7 billion in 2030.

It also includes $249.5 million in targeted service improvements over four years. That includes $96.4 million for additional snow removal, turf mowing, graffiti removal and litter pickup, as well as $70.4 million to support local business growth and commercial development.

You can learn more on the City of Edmonton website.