Municipal Funding

One of the challenges for all municipalities across Canada is that they have limited taxation authority. Three primary sources of funding include:

• Residential and business property taxes;
• User-pay services (utilities, transit, and attractions);
• Municipal grants.

The City’s planning documents and management tools are vital in helping decision makers to more accurately predict Edmonton’s short- and long-term infrastructure funding requirements − to ensure that their decisions meet the needs of its citizens today, while preparing to meet the needs of those citizens’ grandchildren in the future.

However, the infrastructure shortfall reflects a revenue crunch, and closing the infrastructure gap is closely linked to other City and major departmental initiatives. Some of those key initiatives are:

• Neighbourhood Renewal Program
  This program is aimed at repairing neighbourhood transportation infrastructure through a dedicated annual tax levy.
• The Way Ahead
  The City of Edmonton Strategic Plan provides a focus to the City's efforts to deliver the greatest value of services and infrastructure that are most important to Edmontonians while managing the opportunities and challenges of our ever-changing city. 
• The Way We Finance
  Edmonton’s financial sustainability plan guides development of the strategic plan, which will outline guiding principles to ensure continued sound fiscal management and long-term financial sustainability.
• The Way We Green
  Edmonton’s environmental strategic plan sets out principles, goals, objectives and strategic actions and approaches for Edmonton to live in balance with nature.
• The Way We Grow
  Edmonton’s Municipal Development Plan is the City’s strategic growth and development plan.
• The Way We Live
  Edmonton’s people plan redefines local government as a caring entity that creates a diverse and inclusive city by connecting people, creating communities where people can age in place and actively nurturing an arts, culture, and athletic community.
• The Way We Move
  Edmonton’s Transportation Master Plan provides the framework for how Edmonton will address its future transportation needs.
• The Way We Prosper
  Edmonton’s economic development plan is a comprehensive economic development strategy for the city.

Edmonton continues to look for new partnerships and opportunities to address the infrastructure gap within the limitations of municipal legislation.