Hello neighbours, and happy Monday! November is budget season for our local cities. This week, we're looking at how Leduc residents can speak to Council about the 2027 budget starting tonight, what Beaumont residents said in this year's budget survey, and a change to Beaumont's green cart pickup this month.

How can Leduc residents have their say on the 2027 budget?

Leduc City Council is reviewing the proposed 2027 Budget through a series of public meetings. All meetings take place at the Leduc Civic Centre starting at 5:30 p.m.:

• Monday, Nov. 2 (tonight): City Manager, Finance, and Infrastructure and Planning

• Monday, Nov. 9: Corporate Services, and Community and Protective Services

• Monday, Nov. 23: Discussion about flagged items

• Monday, Dec. 7: Budget presented to City Council for approval

The Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 meetings include an agenda item for Public Input on Budget Matters, where residents can speak to Council about the budget. According to the City, speakers must register in advance by email to the City Clerk's office or in person before the meeting begins. Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed and recorded.

What's in Leduc's proposed capital plan?

The City's 2027 Proposed Budget document shares a few big-picture numbers:

• Four-year capital plan: Council will be asked to approve a 2027 to 2030 capital plan with total spending of $246.4 million.

• West Leduc Recreation Centre: 39% of that four-year plan relates to the West Leduc Recreation Centre project.

• Ten-year view: Together with the 2031 to 2036 plan, the 10-year capital plan totals $472.3 million.

The City also notes that the property tax rate is set in the spring, once property assessments are complete.

What did Beaumont residents say in the 2027 budget survey?

The City of Beaumont shared the results of its 2027 Budget Survey, which were presented to Council on Oct. 20. Here are some highlights:

• More voices: 1,107 people took part between July 20 and Aug. 20, up from 656 last year.

• Value of City services: 58.0% rated the value of City services as fair, good or excellent, while 39.4% still rated it poor or very poor.

• Property taxes: Maintaining property taxes at the current level was the most selected option at 38.5%, and 31.5% chose an option to increase property taxes.

• Top priority: Minimizing property tax increases remains the top priority at 62.4%, and keeping and attracting businesses and amenities rose to 33.2%.

• Household costs: Participants most often pointed to the cost of utilities (59.8%) and groceries (58.5%).

When will Beaumont's 2027 budget be decided?

According to the City's budget page, the draft 2027 budget will be presented to Council on Nov. 18/19, 2026, and Council will deliberate and approve the budget at public meetings on Nov. 25/26/27.

What's changing with Beaumont's green cart pickup?

Heads up, Beaumont: according to the City's fall waste collection update, green cart (organics) pickup moves to every other week starting in November. You can check your pickup schedule online or in the Smart, Savvy, Green app. And remember, Beaumont's blue bag program now accepts more items, including glass containers, foam packaging, flexible plastics, paper laminates and empty aerosol containers.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can Leduc residents speak to Council about the 2027 budget?

The Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 budget meetings, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Leduc Civic Centre, include an agenda item for Public Input on Budget Matters. Speakers must register in advance or in person before the meeting begins.

When will Leduc's 2027 budget be approved?

The budget is scheduled to be presented to City Council for approval on Dec. 7, 2026.

How big is Leduc's proposed four-year capital plan?

The 2027 to 2030 capital plan totals $246.4 million, and 39% of it relates to the West Leduc Recreation Centre project.

How many people took Beaumont's 2027 budget survey?

1,107 people took part, up from 656 the year before.

How often is Beaumont's green cart collected in November?

Green cart (organics) pickup moves to every other week starting in November.

Wishing You a Great Week, Neighbours!

It's great to see so many residents in both communities taking part in shaping their cities' plans. Have a wonderful week in Leduc and Beaumont!

Keith Lopushinsky, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Real Estate

Questions about buying or selling in Leduc or Beaumont? Reach out to Keith Lopushinsky, RE/MAX Real Estate.