Armstrong residents could face an increase to the mill rate, pending approval of the proposed 2026-27 financial plan.
The proposed municipal mill rate is 18.741, which is an increase of 1.088 mills from the 2025 rate of 17.653. The taxable assessment for 2026 has increased by 1.35 per cent or about $1.7 million.
The proposed 6.16 per cent increase includes 3.9 per cent that reflects the municipality’s budgetary needs, while the remainder comes from the school tax levy.
For a residential home with the building and land assessed at $291,000, the average increase would be $142.57 more than 2025.
According to the 2021 census, the RM of Armstrong has a population of 1,967 people with 1,056 private dwellings. The overall land area of the municipality is 1,868.24 square kilometres.
Some of the municipality’s recent accomplishments include completing a walking bridge in Inwood, renovating the public works shop, undertaking land sales of RM-owned vacant land and forage leased land, studying the waste site and transfer station, improving drainage through beaver removal and brushing and completing road repairs to Road 0.
The municipality has also hired a public works coordinator, a finance administrator/permitting planning coordinator and a new building inspector. Recent purchases include a disc mower, tractor, previously leased bobcat and attachments, and a new grass-fire truck for the Inwood Fire Department.
The main expense is about $2.08 million for transportation services, which includes public works salaries, equipment and yard operations, equipment rentals, road maintenance, snow removal, drainage and street lighting.
Another expense is $855,188 for government services, which includes council indemnities, administrative wages, office operations, bylaw enforcement, conferences, insurance, grants. Other costs under this umbrella relate to legal, audit, assessment, taxation and election expenses.
Fiscal services will receive $490,000 for planned projects.
The proposed financial plan also includes $264,434 for protective services, including fire protection, emergency measures, E-911 and animal and pest control.
Environmental services will receive $161,700 for landfill and transfer station wages, landfill maintenance, well testing and sewage tipping fees.
A total of $109,457 will go towards economic development services, such as weed control, watershed districts and veterinary services.
Another $11,320 is allotted for public health and welfare services, including cemetery mowing and social assistance.
Upcoming items in the five-year capital plan include $2 million towards the Fraserwood Fire Hall, $250,000 for the administrative building, $60,000 for protective gear replacement for the Inwood Fire Department and $5,000 for Christmas lights.
Council will vote on approving the proposed 2026 financial plan on April 26.
