Town of Coalhurst approves 2025 budget and mill rate bylaw

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Sunny South News

Town of Coalhurst

Here are some highlights from the May 20 Town of Coalhurst regular council meeting. This is not an official record of the meeting. For more information visit http://www.coalhurst.diligent.community/Portal/Default.aspx 

Council approves 2025 Final Budget and Mill Rate Bylaw:

Coalhurst town council approved the 2025 final budget and Mill Rate Bylaw 466-25 during its regular meeting on May 20, finalizing the financial plan ahead of this year’s property assessment and tax notices. The 2025 final budget includes updated assessment figures and provincial requisitions, resulting in a net taxation increase of $107,718 — a $7,329 reduction from the interim budget passed in December 2024. The updated figures bring the overall tax increase to 4.32 per cent, down from the previously projected 4.62 per cent. 

A key factor in this year’s increase is the 14.45 per cent rise in the Alberta Education tax requisition. The town collects taxes on behalf of the province and the Green Acres Foundation, though it has no control over those budgets. Of the $3.63 million in total taxes to be collected, $1.03 million will be remitted to those requisitioning bodies, while $2.6 million will support municipal operations.

The 2025 taxable assessment base has grown by 4.31 per cent. With these updates, the residential mill rate will slightly decrease from 7.2673 to 7.2597, while the non-residential rate will rise from 9.6840 to 9.9039. 

Tax notices are typically mailed in June, with payment due by July 31. Due to an impending postal strike by Canada Post, property owners can contact the town office at 403-381-3033 for a copy of their notice, should mailing be disrupted. Proof of ownership must be provided. As per the Municipal Government Act, failure to receive a tax notice is not a valid reason for late or non-payment of taxes.

The full budget and mill rate bylaw are available on the Town’s website at http://www.coalhurst.ca.

Changes Coming to Miners Park Campground in 2026:

Coalhurst town council has approved changes to the operation of Miners Park Campground starting in 2026. At its May 20 meeting, council voted to transition the campground into an exclusive rentable space for community members and groups – similar to how the social area and community centre are currently used. The move aims to reduce operational costs and better align the campground’s use with local needs.

The decision follows direction given in March for administration to explore long-term options for the campground and sanitary dump, including selling, contracting out, or integrating them into the town’s Recreation Master Plan. The sanitary dump was subsidized $2,900 by the town, while the campground broke even but required considerable staff time and resources to maintain.

As part of the 2026 changes, an online reservation system will be implemented and a keyless, code-access system will be installed on washroom facilities to limit public use and reduce cleaning and maintenance needs. The cost of this upgrade is estimated at $1,300. More information will be made available in early 2026. For the 2025 season, Miners Park campground operations will continue as they have previously — open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.

Administration Report:

With an impending postal service disruption, the town wants to help minimize any impact on its customers. Here are some things to keep in mind for utility bills and accounts receivable:

• During a mailing disruption, paper utility bills, notices, or account information cannot be mailed.

• Payment deadlines remain the same. Missed deadlines will incur penalties.

• To stay up-to-date with utility payments and/or other Town-related payments, residents and business operators can visit the Town Office during regular business hours or call us to receive their balance owing.

• By signing up for e-billing (via http://www.coalhurst.ca), property owners can receive their monthly utility bill by email.

• Payments can be made online through a person’s financial institution, in-person at the town office, or by dropping a cheque in the all-hours drop box at the town office front entrance.

• Anyone with questions about their utility bill or payments can call the Town Office at 403-381-3033 or email utilities@coalhurst.ca.