MD OF BIGHORN – An early look at potential capital projects and draft operating expenses for the MD of Bighorn came at a lengthy meeting of its governance and priorities committee.
The committee discussed in length possible budget items for 2025-29 at its Nov. 26 meeting to bring forward for council consideration in December.
Included in the potential budget are requests for two new staff positions, with a legislative clerk and safety codes administrator both highlighted as being needed.
Kelly noted with development in Harvie Heights, Exshaw and Dead Man’s Flats the municipality is growing along with the need to keep up with service levels.
“Our tax role is rapidly changing as much as our staff levels are and part of the reasons our staff levels are changing is because of the amount of growth that we’ve seen in the past few years. We’re continuing to see it as we move into the next few years,” she said.
“As we continue to grow, we increase our assessment base and currently our projections are the supplemental assessment we’ve received for this year will potentially bring $500,000 to $750,000 of increased taxation revenue to the municipality,” she said.
Rosvold highlighted in the bulk of her time on council, few new positions were created and it led to several municipal staff “wearing multiple hats.”
A legislative clerk would assist with FOIP requests, Assessment Review Board and Subdivision Development and Appeal Board meetings, researching legislative aspects, help with elections and work with the planning department. The position was part of the organizational review for Bighorn.
Shaina Kelly, Bighorn’s CAO, said she was open to deferring the position, but the clerk role is an important one in municipalities, which was echoed by Reeve Lisa Rosvold.
The municipality added multiple new staff in the last year in positions such as deputy fire chief, infrastructure services engineer and a human resources and payroll coordinator.
A safety codes administrator would issue specific permits such as electrical, plumbing and gas, conduct safety codes reporting, manage development permit pre-applications and help with building permits.
Hayley Gavin, Bighorn’s director of planning and development, highlighted multiple examples where a safety codes administrator would’ve been beneficial for several development scenarios.
She added some costs would be recouped for the position through permitting fees, while processing applications more quickly.
“The position would be proactive and reactive,” she said. “Right now, we don’t have the capacity to go out into the field and check in compliance with conditions of approval. … That role would become more proactive and field-facing in going out … but doing all the work and ensuring compliance with the approvals we’re sending out.”
Among key projects in 2025 are the development and potential adoption of a new land use bylaw that will be “built on extensive stakeholder and community engagement,” according to the budget request.
The municipality has undergone work on a new Municipal Development Plan, the Harvie Heights area redevelopment plan, Jamieson Road area structure plan, though the request noted a land use bylaw update was needed.
Gavin said a project manager would be needed and the intent is to “get going as soon as possible” with it being a “massive undertaking.”
A look at a potential fire hall in Dead Man’s Flat was tentatively scheduled to begin consultation and design work in 2025, but was pushed to 2026 by the committee.
Kelly noted it was done before the “considerable need in Jamieson” was identified, while early discussions with Canmore RCMP for a possible multi-service site have taken place. She noted the Dead Man’s Flats project could change necessary scope of work and allow for additional consultation with RCMP.
The lengthiest conversation was on a long-discussed pump track in Dead Man’s Flats.
Rosvold, who has brought forward the idea with the Dead Man’s Flats Community Association for the past seven years, said she was disappointed more information wasn’t brought forward.
“Last year I was assured it would be part of this budget, and I really hope the lack of information coming forward today isn’t something that would hinder this from going forward,” she said, adding requests and maps had been brought forward and thought it was recirculated by the community association. “It’s really frustrating. I feel like a hamster on a wheel with this one.”
Kelly said more information would be needed if either a composite or dirt pump track was needed since there was a “considerable cost differential” between the two types.
Coun. Steve Fitzmorris added he thought “there could be a little bit more specifics to go along with it” such as how to maintain it and the type of track, but “the idea is there.”
Coun. Jen Smith echoed Fitzmorris’ comments, but expressed ultimate funding was a concern and she was “very leery” to put a placeholder amount in the budget.
Kelly also highlighted as recreation amenities are added, a larger discussion on the long-term cost of maintenance, insurance and other factors should take place in the future, with a “seed that needs to be planted.”
“There’s an operational offset for an increase that goes along with the capital projects when we’re adding infrastructure,” she said.
A potential look at Bighorn’s water bylaws at $10,000 could take place in 2025. Rosvold requested more information to return to council in December, with Harvie Heights and Dead Man’s Flats tied to the Town of Canmore’s water and wastewater services.
“That might be helpful for us to see the water bylaws that are existing … to try and understand the delineation of our bylaws and how they’re enforced compared to Canmore’s and how they’re enforced considering two of our hamlets are serviced by Canmore, so this would only be used in one hamlet,” she said.
A permanent snow storage facility proposed for the area of Highway 1A and 1X is identified as a 2025 item.
Vicki Moses, the MD’s infrastructure services engineer, said Bighorn has three snow storage sites that alternate in use. She noted this year they’re storing in Dead Man’s Flats industrial area.
Moses said the municipality is reviewing a geotechnical assessment as part of the project scope and will return in December with more information.
The Pigeon Creek pedestrian bridge was approved in the 2024 budget for $275,000, but Kelly noted it was put on hold until the Trails Master Plan is completed. Anticipated to be done in 2025, the plan could have recommendations and project plans that could modify the need for the bridge.
“It may come out that it’s not even needed,” Rosvold said.
Coun. Alice James said she wanted it to be properly used and not be a “bridge to nowhere” as future development comes online.
DRAFT TAX REQUISITION
The draft 2025 operating budget has projected total expenses of $11.5 million. The property tax requirement is outlined as $9.56 million, including $924,000 going to reserves and $270,500 for capital expenses. An updated outline of operating expenses will return to council in December.
Kelly emphasized the tax requirement isn’t to be confused with the tax rate, which will be presented to council in December.
“Tax requirement is the change in funds necessary to operate the municipality and provide the capital project,” she said. “Tax rate is the amount applied to assessment based on the tax requirement.”
Of the operating expenses, $5.8 million are for salaries and benefits, which is about 50 per cent of the organization.
“The bulk of operating our business is in your salaries. It’s no different in operating all of the services within the municipality. ... It sounds like a lot, but when you look at the pages of services our municipality is providing, people are your service. Without the people, it’d be very difficult to have any services to the public,” Kelly said.
The capital projects brought forward to the committee’s Nov. 26 meeting had carryforward of approved projects from 2024 is $17.895 million, while proposed 2025 capital projects are $19.779 million.
However, the majority of 2025 capital projects were identified as coming from grant funding to the tune of $17.175 million and $2.334 million from reserves. The remaining $270,500 will come from taxes.
An updated list will return at council’s December meeting to discuss the budget.
KEY 2025 PROJECTS
- Jura Creek flood mitigation: $6.272 million (grant)
- Operations building: $5.55 million (grant/debenture)
- Jamieson Road fire hall: $4.1 million (grant/debenture)
- Exshaw Fire replace tender: $800,000 (reserves)
- Harvie Heights flood mitigation: $450,000 (grant)
- Road rehabilitation: $400,000 (reserves)
- Garbage truck: $300,000 (reserves)
- Permanent snow storage site facility: $300,000 (grant)
- Hooklift truck: $280,000 (reserves)
- Pigeon Creek pedestrian bridge: $275,000 (carry forward)
- Land use bylaw review: $140,000 (tax)
- Community peace officer vehicle replacement: $135,000 (reserves)
- Flashing speed signs in hamlets: $108,000 (reserves)
- Steep creek policy/flood risk assessment: $100,000 (grant)
- Dead Man’s Flats stormwater pond preliminary design: $50,000 (reserves)
- Asset management: $50,000 (reserves)
- Records management: $50,000 (reserves)
- Bridge rehabilitation program: $41,000 (grant)
- Harvie Heights generator replacement ($40,000) (carry forward)
- Exshaw Legion/Highway 1A at Heart Mountain Drive intersection improvements: $37,000 (tax)
- Dead Man’s Flats Pigeon Creek pedestrian bridge wingwall protection: $25,000 (reserves)
- Dead Man’s Flats pump track: $25,000 (tax)
- Updating existing water bylaws: $10,000 (tax)
KEY 2026 PROJECTS
- Dead Man’s Flats fire station: $2 million (reserves)
- Exshaw Legion/Highway 1A intersection improvements: $1.5 million (off-site levies)
- Dead Man’s Flats 2nd Avenue streetscape improvements: $685,000 (unfunded)
- Dead Man’s Flats stormwater pond: $450,000 (reserves)
- Road rehabilitation: $400,000 (reserves)
- Dead Man’s Flats fire station: $400,000 (reserves)
- Replacement bush buggy: $385,000 (unfunded)
- Exshaw lagoon overflow basin: $380,000 (unfunded)
- Organic bins: $105,000 (unfunded)
- Jura Creek flood mitigation: $100,000 (grant)
- Dead Man’s Flats pump track: $50,000 (reserves)
- Benchlands stormwater improvements: $50,000 (unfunded)
- Properly abandon unused Exshaw groundwater monitoring wells: $35,000 (unfunded)
- Dead Man’s Flats 1st Avenue improvement plan and consultation: $35,000 (unfunded)
