EDMONTON, AB, November 2, 2026 – The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is encouraged by the City’s proposed 2027–2030 budget and its renewed focus on maintaining infrastructure and delivering essential services. However, with property tax increases proposed over the next four years, more work is needed to keep Edmonton affordable and competitive for residents and businesses.

The proposed budget directs $2.3 billion of its $6.3 billion capital plan toward renewing existing infrastructure and reduces the proposed 2027 property tax increase from 5.6 per cent to 4.9 per cent. These are encouraging steps that align with the Chamber’s Back on Track Business Budget recommendations and what 80 per cent of Edmontonians told the City: prioritize maintaining what we already own

“The City Manager calls this a ‘not sexy’ budget, and we take that as good news,” said Doug Griffiths, President and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. “Roads, bridges, and snow clearing are what businesses count on every day. But the hard decisions are still ahead. Council now must make real choices about what the City should do, what can wait and whether the results justify the cost.”
Affordability remains a concern, with residential property taxes proposed to rise by 4.7 per cent in 2028, 4.5 per cent in 2029 and 3.9 per cent in 2030. These successive increases leave households with less to spend at local businesses. In 2027, businesses would face an increase of $124.08 per $100,000 in assessed value, compared with $42.96 for residential properties. Higher taxes squeeze both sides of Edmonton’s economy: consumer spending and business investment.

The Chamber’s Back on Track recommendations offer a practical framework for evaluating those choices, grounded in three questions:

1. Should the City do it?
2. Is the City the right organization to do it?
3. Is the result worth the cost?

Over the coming weeks, the Chamber will review the proposed operating, capital, and climate budgets against its recommendations, with particular attention to property tax competitiveness, public safety, construction disruption, infrastructure priorities, and opportunities to expand Edmonton’s industrial tax base.

This is about spending smarter, not simply spending less,” said Heather Thomson, Vice-President of the Edmonton Chamber. “We want to see investments that deliver real economic returns, and public safety is a prime example. A safe, clean, and welcoming city attracts customers, builds investor confidence, and supports business growth.”

The Chamber will appear before City Council during the public hearings, beginning November 23, and business owners, employers and industry leaders are invited to join us. Edmonton’s businesses deserve a voice in the decisions that shape our city’s future. Learn more and register to speak at City Council here before November 23rd, 2026.

The Edmonton Chamber looks forward to working constructively with Mayor Andrew Knack, City Councillors, and City Administration to ensure Edmonton’s next four-year budget delivers on the priorities that matter most to businesses, residents, and our city’s economic future.

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