Alberta budget does not address all funding challenges, says Olds mayor

OLDS — The provincial budget, presented Feb. 29, contained good and bad things for the municipalities, including Olds, the town's mayor said in a prepared statement.

Judy Dahl said by far, the best news to come out of the budget is the $63 million announced for Olds College to renovate and expand the W.J. Elliott Trades Building.

“The success of Olds College is the success of our town, and we are grateful to the province for this investment,” she wrote.

On the other hand, Dahl noted that the province’s Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF), the primary source of capital funding to the town remains nearly 40 per cent lower than what was provided a few years ago, when it was called the Municipal Sustainability Initiative.

“The lack of investment in core infrastructure that Albertans depend on is not sustainable and property taxes simply cannot shoulder this burden,” Dahl said in the statement.

However, she added, “we do appreciate the province has many needs to balance, and there are some positive takeaways.”

Examples of those positive takeaways included investment in seniors funding, health care and mental health, and education.

Dahl said the Town of Olds continues to “seek collaboration and alignment with the provincial government to keep Alberta the economic engine of Canada and the largest recipient of domestic and international newcomers.

“Despite the funding challenges not addressed in budget 2024, the Town of Olds is committed to playing an important role in central Alberta, to make it an even more attractive place for residents and businesses to invest,” she added.