Service expansion, tax hike in County budget

By Lethbridge Herald on December 12, 2025.

Nathan Reiter
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The budget is officially in for Lethbridge County.

Tory Campbell, the reeve for Lethbridge County says the time around budget deliberations is always difficult.

“I think every time we go through the budget cycle, it’s just an opportunity to try and strike a balance. We see increasing pressure on our infrastructure, pressures of inflation. We see increased downloading from the province. We realize the strain on our infrastructure and the need to maintain that, but we also want to be mindful that I think everybody is finding it every day a little bit more expensive.”

The 2026 budget includes a property tax increase of three per cent compared to 2025, after growth. Lethbridge County will also see province-mandated policing costs increase by 57 percent to over $1 million. 

The budget includes expanding the residential dust suppression system to include a fall intake, testing a Deep Base Stabilized road treatment on portions of haul routes. One of most major elements in the 2026 budget includes the replacement of a bridge northwest of Picture Butte. 

Campbell says the bridge was in desperate need of repairs.

“Through the County’s asset management plan, all of our assets would be identified within that plan and then where they are in their lifespan. Over the past few years, we’ve been replacing at least one bridge in some opportunities too if we find the grant funding to support that. Just where we are in the life cycle of our bridges, that one was identified as one that needed the utmost attention. That one was identified and that one will be addressed this year.”

With the rising pressure of costs and inflation, Campbell says he feels the new budget finds the balance residents will be looking for.

“I appreciate the budget that administration brought forward for the council to deliberate to pull apart to work through. My hat’s off to staff for coming in with something that I think all of council felt was very reasonable given the pressures and the challenges we face, but it’s also forward looking. It gives us the opportunity to make sure that we’re not falling further behind…I think this puts us on a good track to continue moving forward.”

More details on the budget are available at lethcounty.ca

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