Following budget deliberations that began in October 2025, Athabasca County Council approved the interim 2026 Operating and Capital Budgets and the 2026 to 2030 Operating and Capital Plans at their regular Council meeting held on January 8, 2026.
The 2026 budget and 2026 to 2030 plans prioritize maintaining core services, protecting infrastructure investments, and advancing long-term projects that support residents, businesses, and regional partners.
2026 Budget key highlights
- Asphalt overlay program: To strengthen long-term management of Athabasca County’s surfaced road network, Administration has undertaken a 10-year Surfaced Road Maintenance Plan. The plan prioritizes existing surfaced roads to help protect the County’s historic investment and uses best-practice maintenance approaches such as chip seal and asphalt overlays to extend road life. With over 146 km of surfaced roads and an average 17-year life cycle, the plan identifies a need to address approximately 8.6 km per year.
- Al-Pac Bridge Rehabilitation Project: The Al-Pac Bridge is a vital transportation corridor for the region. The total repair project is supported by Al-Pac, Athabasca County, and the Government of Alberta through Strategic Transportation Investment Program (STIP) funding. The project is expected to extend the bridge’s lifespan by an additional 20 years, and engineering work will move forward as part of the overall budget plan.
- Island Lake waterline construction: The Island Lake Regional Waterline Project will deliver reliable, safe drinking water to residents west of the Town of Athabasca, and bring it closer to nearby Summer Villages and areas of Athabasca County that currently rely on wells or truck-hauled water. The project includes about 21 kilometres of new pipeline connected to the Aspen Regional Water Treatment Plant, along with a booster station and a new public truck, tote, and bottle fill station near Highway 2 and Township Road 670. Properties along the route may connect through a low-pressure trickle service with on-site storage. The vast majority of the project is supported by a construction grant and will strengthen long-term community health, growth, and resilience.
- Increase in gravel amounts: To improve the gravel road network and work toward an all-weather gravel road inventory, Administration is recommending a move to a three-year rotation for graveling over the next three to four years, while roads are brought back to a condition suitable for effective grader maintenance. Updated gravel specifications are also proposed to reduce additional fines, resulting in more rock and less sand being placed on roadways.
- Continued bridge repairs: In addition to major bridge projects, Council has allocated funding to support ongoing bridge repairs and maintenance across the County’s bridge network. This funding includes engineering and annual inspections, contracted services, materials and supplies, and equipment rental, supporting proactive maintenance and timely repairs.
- Funding for one bridge replacement: To prepare for longer-term infrastructure needs, Council has also set aside funding for one bridge replacement, subject to approval through a STIP application. This allocation positions the County to move forward if external funding is confirmed, while maintaining a responsible approach to major capital investment.
- Emergency Services: Athabasca County Emergency Services received grant fundingfor a new Regional FireSmart Coordinator position. This role will deliver FireSmart education and events, strengthen regional wildfire mitigation planning, coordinate with partners like Alberta Wildfire, review mutual aid agreements, support joint training, and help integrate FireSmart practices into local development and vegetation management. In addition, the purchase of a new fire engine has been confirmed, as well as the delivery of two new brush units to support frontline response capacity across the region.
“Council’s 2026 budget and 2026 to 2030 plans focus on maintaining the infrastructure residents rely on every day, while advancing projects that strengthen our communities over the long term,” said Reeve Tracy Holland. “By continuing to invest in roads, bridges, and water infrastructure, and by leveraging available grants wherever possible, we are working to deliver reliable services and responsible planning for Athabasca County. Our Administration Team has been working incredibly hard to put together a budget that gives council the information and options we need to make the best decisions for residents.”
