City Council slashed its proposed 2025 property tax hike roughly in half during budget debate this week.

Fort Saskatchewan property taxes were set to increase by 11.28 per cent this coming year, but Council instead agreed to defer several expenses, cutting that tax increase by about half.

Their biggest single cut is to delay the tax increase needed to fund a new pool. This hike was set to begin in several stages over the coming four years, beginning in 2025. Instead, property taxes won’t begin to increase until 2026 at the earliest. The new pool will eventually mean as much as a 9.2 per cent tax hike upon opening in 2029.

Council also agreed to keep the traffic camera revenue in the budget, even though provincial officials are warning that major changes are coming. Revenue from traffic cameras was reduced this year, which is reflected in the new budget, but still come to more than $1 million a year.

Other significant budget changes approved this week include removing $870,000 from the roads budget. Rather than coming from local taxes, this portion of the roads budget will now use provincial grant money.

Other minor adjustments bring the total tax savings to $3.5 million or more than five per cent of the total property tax impact.

This means the final 2025 property tax hike should come to about 5.5 per cent.

City Council will see the final number at its Dec. 10 regular meeting.

The cuts made this year only defer some expenses, and will be back, City Manger Troy Fleming told Council.

“If you’re sitting in these chairs a year from now, some of these increases will still be there,” he warned. “As long as you’re doing it with your eyes wide open and know what the consequences are.”