If you ask members of Okotoks Council what makes budgeting so difficult, rising costs will be right near the top of the list. It’s not unique to Okotoks — communities across Alberta are facing the same pressures — and it directly affects how Councils plan and pay for local services.
Several factors are driving up municipal costs, including:
- Inflation on the goods and services the Town needs to operate
- Decisions made by other levels of government
- Growing and changing needs in our community
Just like households in Okotoks have felt the impact of inflation, so has the Town. The difference is scale. Instead of groceries and utilities, the Town has seen sharp increases in paying for things like:
- Equipment, fire trucks, pipes, concrete, and road materials
- Energy to heat and cool buildings and keep streetlights on
- Wages for local contractors
Bottom Line: Municipalities aren’t just dealing with inflation—they’re facing sharp increases in the cost of specialized equipment and essential services. Here are just a couple of examples:
