Each year the City prepares an annual budget plus a budget projection for the next three years. We also prepare a 10-year capital plan that outlines major projects to be funded over the next decade. City budgets are reviewed, deliberated and approved by Council in the fall each year.

In Airdrie we use principles of zero-based budgeting to create our budgets. This means that each year each City business unit starts from zero and creates a budget based on what is needed to deliver Council endorsed services and to advance Council’s focus areas.

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Service areas overall

Click here to rank the services categories by your order of priority.

Service areas individually

Typical operational expenses for the City include the cost to provide services such as street cleaning, recreation, water services, streetlights, trails, pathways, playgrounds, parks, public transit, arts and culture, police, fire and municipal enforcement. The utility fund covers water and waste and recycling services.

In 2024, Council approved several items from the 10-year capital plan to move forward beginning in 2025, including:

• Ron Ebbesen Arena – Mid life lifecycle. In 2024, Council approved mid-life construction of the Ron Ebbesen Arena. Construction started in March 2025.
• Highland Park Fire Station. In 2024, Council approved construction of the new fire station. Construction is estimated to start in Q2 2025.
• NE Regional Park. Phase 1 of construction is estimated to be complete Q2 2025, Phase 1B construction anticipated to start in Q2 2025.
• SW Recreation Centre. In 2024, Council approved Phase 1 construction of the SW Recreation Centre. Design is scheduled to start Q3 2025.
• Airdrie Multi-Use Facility and Library (Inspire) – Construction is well underway and on track to open Fall 2025

Capital projects that moving forward in 2026, pending budget approval, include:

• Wastewater Forcemain Construction to Calgary. In 2025, budget was approved to order long lead-time equipment and to secure workspace agreements needed for construction of either a forcemain, gravity sewer trunk, or combination of both, to increase sanitary carrying capacity to Calgary. Design work is ongoing in 2026.
• South Regional Lift Station. In 2025, budget was approved to order long-lead time equipment to increase the City’s sanitary pumping capacity with the construction of the South Regional Lift Station. Pending Council approval of construction funds in the 2026 budget, construction of the lift station could commence in late 2026.
• 24 Street Extension. Extending two paved lanes on 24 Street between Cobblestone Gate to Southwinds Drive and incorporating underground utilities and bridgework.

The feedback you provide here will be shared with City Staff for consideration in creating the 2026 budget. It will also be shared with Council to provide them insight into what Airdrie residents identify is important; which they can weigh alongside many other factors and provincial obligations that they must consider during budget deliberations this coming fall.