Fort taxpayers face a 7.42 per cent property tax hike following four days of budget debate at City Council.

The biggest tax cut came in the final hour of debate, when Councillor Birgit Blizzard moved to apply $1.5 million of the City's $11.5 million operating reserve fund to 2026 property taxes.

Without that help, property taxes were set to rise by about nine per cent.

But taking money from reserve savings is not recommended, and was opposed by City Manager Troy Fleming, Mayor Lisa Makin and Councillors Arjun Randhawa and Patrick Noyen.

Drawing from savings leaves a gap in the budget that will only have to be filled in later years, said Makin. “Where does that leave us in 2027?”

Randhawa argued that Council should make more cuts to the budget. “This doesn’t solved the underlying problem,” he said.

Blizzard argued that the reserve savings account is funded by annual surpluses, noting that the City of Fort Saskatchewan expects a surplus of some $5 million this year alone. That comes from “tax dollars we didn’t need to collect,” she said.

Councillor Gale Katchur argued that the proposed nine per cent tax hike was too high. “People are struggling,” she said.

Councillor Gordon Harris also argued that the reserve is a “rainy day fund.” He added that most of Fort Saskatchewan’s budget problems have been caused by provincial government decisions such as the elimination of photo radar revenue.

“This is life in a province with a government that is unique, to say the least,” he said.

Council is now expected to approve its 2026 budget at the Dec. 10 regular meeting. The property tax rate won’t actually be set until April. A large portion of your property tax also depends on the Education tax, which is also set by the provincial government in spring.

The majority of local property tax increases in recent years have come from the Education tax increase.