Categories: Alberta

Albertans: Your Local Government Owes You $10K – CFIB Ranks Every Alberta Municipality

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) just published a report that can be used as an efficiency rating for Alberta Towns and Cities. The idea of the report was to note that most Alberta Towns and Cities have been spending at an unsustainable rate.

The CFIB found that between 2006 and 2016:

If Municipal operating spending had been tied to inflation plus population growth, each household in Alberta would have saved $1,624 in 2016 alone. Over the ten year period (2006 – 2016), each Alberta household could have saved $9,471 in municipal taxes.
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Chestermere had the lowest real operating spending from 2006 to 2016
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Cold Lake was the worst performing city with a 75% increase in real operating spending per capita from 2006 to 2016
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Medicine Hat was the only city to have a decrease in real operating spending per capita from 2006 to 2016
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The Alberta’s population increased by 24 per cent from 2006 to 2016, while real municipal operating spending grew by 62 per cent over that same period.
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Here is a map showing some of the more populated towns and below that are lists of every municipality in the Province of Alberta sorted by rank and by name so it will be easy for you to find your town or city.

All Alberta Towns & Cities Spending 2006-2016 – Sorted by Rank

Below this table we have the cities sorted by name.

Rank (Lower is Better)	Municipality	2006-2016 Population Growth	2006-2016 Real Operating Spending Growth	2006-2016 Cululative Real Operating Spending Per Capita	2006-2016 Growth in Real Operating Spending Per Capita
1	NOBLEFORD	48%	62%	$756	10%
2	OKOTOKS	140%	104%	$1,406	-15%
3	COCHRANE	98%	78%	$1,320	-10%
4	PONOKA COUNTY	1%	-13%	$1,433	-14%
5	WETASKIWIN NO. 10, COUNTY	2%	-14%	$1,542	-15%
6	FOOTHILLS NO. 31, MD	20%	16%	$1,349	-4%
7	MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY	2%	-4%	$1,419	-6%
8	ATHABASCA	24%	12%	$1,552	-10%
9	CHESTERMERE	108%	128%	$1,120	10%
10	MAGRATH	20%	39%	$1,002	16%
11	COALHURST	69%	101%	$944	19%
12	BEAVER COUNTY	1%	-10%	$1,699	-10%
13	REDCLIFF	28%	38%	$1,239	8%
14	MEDICINE HAT	12%	8%	$1,618	-4%
15	WAINWRIGHT	17%	23%	$1,414	5%
16	AIRDRIE	113%	132%	$1,331	9%
17	TABER, MD	19%	2%	$1,965	-15%
18	LAC STE. ANNE COUNTY	15%	24%	$1,452	8%
19	RIMBEY	10%	17%	$1,533	6%
20	IRRICANA	5%	19%	$1,370	13%
21	CAMROSE	18%	21%	$1,658	2%
22	STIRLING	39%	75%	$1,055	26%
23	LETHBRIDGE, COUNTY	1%	5%	$1,640	4%
24	VERMILION RIVER, COUNTY	8%	3%	$1,853	-4%
25	WESTLOCK COUNTY	11%	20%	$1,554	8%
26	LEGAL	16%	37%	$1,287	18%
27	MACKENZIE COUNTY	21%	17%	$1,853	-4%
28	BEAVERLODGE	9%	11%	$1,714	3%
29	COALDALE	23%	53%	$1,249	24%
30	BOW ISLAND	19%	47%	$1,259	24%
31	ST. PAUL	17%	31%	$1,587	12%
32	SYLVAN LAKE	68%	106%	$1,344	22%
33	WARNER NO. 5, COUNTY	1%	11%	$1,683	10%
34	LAMONT	4%	16%	$1,627	12%
35	STONY PLAIN	53%	71%	$1,647	12%
36	CARDSTON	3%	26%	$1,406	23%
37	STRATHMORE	29%	60%	$1,365	24%
38	CAMROSE COUNTY	10%	14%	$1,909	4%
39	PEACE NO. 135, MD	-0.03	0.06	1751	0.1
40	DRUMHELLER	0.03	0.23	1543	0.19
41	DIDSBURY	0.26	0.55	1461	0.23
42	BASSANO	-0.03	0.23	1359	0.27
43	BROOKS	0.22	0.61	1305	0.32
44	BOWDEN	0.06	0.4	1300	0.33
45	CLARESHOLM	0.04	0.43	1186	0.38
46	NEWELL, COUNTY	0	-0.13	2489	-0.13
47	FAIRVIEW	0	0.24	1549	0.24
48	BLACKFALDS	1.01	1.61	1401	0.3
49	THREE HILLS	-0.09	0.14	1540	0.26
50	FORT SASKATCHEWAN	0.67	0.81	2004	0.08
51	TWO HILLS	0.29	0.63	1549	0.27
52	MORINVILLE	0.51	1.02	1415	0.33
53	CARDSTON COUNTY	-0.04	0.36	1206	0.42
54	CYPRESS COUNTY	0.18	0.11	2428	-0.06
55	ROCKY VIEW COUNTY	0.1	0.39	1609	0.27
56	RED DEER COUNTY	-0.02	0.11	1971	0.12
57	RAYMOND	0.31	0.82	1318	0.39
58	TIELD	0.2	0.55	1593	0.29
59	GRIMSHAW	0.03	0.42	1381	0.37
60	BIRCH HILLS COUNTY	-0.04	-0.36	3180	-0.33
61	LETHBRIDGE	0.23	0.44	1919	0.17
62	BONNYVILLE	0.17	0.4	1853	0.2
63	BENTLEY	0.03	0.42	1381	0.39
64	CALMAR	0.05	0.34	1688	0.27
65	WETASKIWIN	0.13	0.5	1545	0.33
66	HIGH PRAIRIE	-0.08	0.08	1942	0.18
67	BRAZEAU COUNTY	0.04	0.12	2199	0.08
68	FORTY MILE NO. 8, COUNTY	-0.03	-0.02	2376	0.01
69	BONNYVILLE NO. 87, MD	0.58	0.51	2515	-0.04
70	SPRUCE GROVE	0.83	1.33	1729	0.27
71	TABER	0.09	0.4	1759	0.28
72	STURGEON COUNTY	0.04	0.28	1888	0.24
73	PARKLAND COUNTY	0.03	0.37	1666	0.33
74	LESSER SLAVE RIVER NO. 124, MD		-0.26	3343	-0.32
75	CLEARWATER COUNTY	0.07	0.2	2218	0.13
76	CROWSNEST PASS, Municipality	-0.11	0.12	1894	0.26
77	GRANDE CACHE	0.13	0.41	1964	0.25
78	CROSSFIELD	0.12	0.62	1470	0.44
79	HIGH LEVEL	-1%	16%	$2,174	17%
80	ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE	4%	43%	$1,631	39%
81	FAIRVIEW NO. 136, MD	-7%	-15%	$2,823	-8%
82	CARSTAIRS	38%	94%	$1,601	41%
83	DEVON	5%	54%	$1,459	47%
84	SEXSMITH	25%	96%	$1,229	57%
85	VAUXHALL	16%	66%	$1,584	43%
86	TROCHU	4%	40%	$1,795	35%
87	REDWATER	-3%	28%	$1,889	32%
88	PROVOST	-2%	36%	$1,724	39%
89	BEAUMONT	98%	186%	$1,597	44%
90	GIBBONS	11%	71%	$1,362	54%
91	CALGARY	25%	58%	$2,077	27%
92	NANTON	16%	70%	$1,572	47%
93	EDMONTON	26%	60%	$2,132	26%
94	FORT MACLEOD	4%	51%	$1,663	45%
95	VERMILION	2%	47%	$1,726	43%
96	ECKVILLE	10%	61%	$1,675	45%
97	INNISFAIL	7%	61%	$1,564	50%
98	THORSBY	28%	36%	$2,699	6%
99	ST. ALBERT	15%	60%	$1,852	40%
100	ELK POINT	14%	71%	$1,613	50%
101	PINCHER CREEK	-1%	42%	$1,757	44%
102	SUNDRE	19%	75%	$1,704	47%
103	STETTLER	10%	60%	$1,746	46%
104	PENHOLD	62%	136%	$1,771	45%
105	EDSON	3%	46%	$1,924	41%
106	PONOKA	7%	60%	$1,723	49%
107	PICTURE BUTTE	-3%	47%	$1,681	51%
108	BRUDERHEIM	12%	70%	$1,675	52%
109	SMOKY LAKE	1%	40%	$2,025	39%
110	WAINWRIGHT NO. 61, MD	-2%	-21%	$3,501	-19%
111	WHEATLAND COUNTY	5%	35%	$2,324	28%
112	HANNA	-10%	37%	$1,726	53%
113	JASPER, Municipality	-1%	29%	$2,291	31%
114	LEDUC	95%	167%	$2,159	37%
115	GRANDE PRAIRIE	54%	124%	$1,931	46%
116	ONOWAY	0%	48%	$1,886	48%
119	LACOMBE	17%	84%	$1,676	57%
120	BON ACCORD	-3%	57%	$1,593	61%
121	GRANDE PRAIRIE NO. 1, COUNTY	13%	33%	$2,722	18%
122	OYEN	-8%	33%	$2,063	45%
123	LACOMBE COUNTY	-3%	36%	$2,195	40%
124	OLDS	29%	96%	$1,891	52%
125	FALHER	-3%	43%	$2,045	48%
126	VALLEYVIEW	6%	36%	$2,572	28%
127	MAYERTHORPE	-11%	44%	$1,739	62%
128	RED DEER	20%	83%	$2,088	52%
129	PEACE RIVER	8%	59%	$2,210	48%
130	CANMORE	83%	148%	$2,529	36%
131	VEGREVILLE	4%	48%	$2,373	42%
132	WILLOW CREEK NO. 26, MD	-6%	50%	$1,940	59%
133	VULCAN	4%	53%	$2,288	47%
134	HINTON	-1%	60%	$1,936	62%
135	MILLET	-2%	80%	$1,392	83%
136	TWO HILLS NO. 21, COUNTY	21%	54%	$2,827	28%
137	STRATHCONA COUNTY	19%	74%	$2,411	46%
138	VIKING	-1%	49%	$2,302	51%
139	ST. PAUL NO. 19, COUNTY	0%	36%	$2,799	36%
140	I.D. NO. 09 (BANFF)	-22%	51%	$1,386	93%
141	NORTHERN LIGHTS, COUNTY	-2%	5%	$3,588	7%
142	YELLOWHEAD COUNTY	6%	20%	$3,441	13%
143	LLOYDMINSTER	27%	101%	$2,368	57%
144	COLD LAKE	36%	137%	$1,991	75%
145	STETTLER NO. 6, COUNTY	-5%	40%	$2,707	47%
146	PINCHER CREEK NO. 9, MD	-1%	44%	$2,767	46%
147	WOODLANDS COUNTY	21%	62%	$3,102	34%
148	BARRHEAD	5%	104%	$1,724	94%
149	SWAN HILLS	-19%	45%	$2,131	79%
150	BARRHEAD NO. 11, COUNTY	6%	103%	$1,843	92%
151	BANFF	12%	69%	$2,961	50%
152	HIGH RIVER	36%	148%	$2,151	83%
153	SMOKY RIVER NO. 130, M.D.	-11%	41%	$2,862	57%
154	STARLAND COUNTY	-6%	7%	$3,960	14%
155	WESTLOCK	7%	107%	$1,961	94%
156	DRAYTON VALLEY	7%	65%	$3,016	54%
157	MINBURN NO. 27, COUNTY	-2%	46%	$3,209	48%
158	MANNING	-10%	57%	$2,617	74%

All Alberta Towns & Cities Spending 2006-2016 – Alphabetic Sort

Municipality	2006-2016 Population Growth	2006-2016 Real Operating Spending Growth	2006-2016 Cululative Real Operating Spending Per Capita	2006-2016 Growth in Real Operating Spending Per Capita	Rank (Lower is Better)
AIRDRIE	113%	132%	$1,331	9%	16
ATHABASCA	24%	12%	$1,552	-10%	8
BANFF	12%	69%	$2,961	50%	151
BARRHEAD	5%	104%	$1,724	94%	148
BARRHEAD NO. 11, COUNTY	6%	103%	$1,843	92%	150
BASSANO	-0.03	0.23	1359	0.27	42
BEAUMONT	98%	186%	$1,597	44%	89
BEAVER COUNTY	1%	-10%	$1,699	-10%	12
BEAVERLODGE	9%	11%	$1,714	3%	28
BENTLEY	0.03	0.42	1381	0.39	63
BIRCH HILLS COUNTY	-0.04	-0.36	3180	-0.33	60
BLACKFALDS	1.01	1.61	1401	0.3	48
BON ACCORD	-3%	57%	$1,593	61%	120
BONNYVILLE	0.17	0.4	1853	0.2	62
BONNYVILLE NO. 87, MD	0.58	0.51	2515	-0.04	69
BOW ISLAND	19%	47%	$1,259	24%	30
BOWDEN	0.06	0.4	1300	0.33	44
BRAZEAU COUNTY	0.04	0.12	2199	0.08	67
BROOKS	0.22	0.61	1305	0.32	43
BRUDERHEIM	12%	70%	$1,675	52%	108
CALGARY	25%	58%	$2,077	27%	91
CALMAR	0.05	0.34	1688	0.27	64
CAMROSE	18%	21%	$1,658	2%	21
CAMROSE COUNTY	10%	14%	$1,909	4%	38
CANMORE	83%	148%	$2,529	36%	130
CARDSTON	3%	26%	$1,406	23%	36
CARDSTON COUNTY	-0.04	0.36	1206	0.42	53
CARSTAIRS	38%	94%	$1,601	41%	82
CHESTERMERE	108%	128%	$1,120	10%	9
CLARESHOLM	0.04	0.43	1186	0.38	45
CLEARWATER COUNTY	0.07	0.2	2218	0.13	75
COALDALE	23%	53%	$1,249	24%	29
COALHURST	69%	101%	$944	19%	11
COCHRANE	98%	78%	$1,320	-10%	3
COLD LAKE	36%	137%	$1,991	75%	144
CROSSFIELD	0.12	0.62	1470	0.44	78
CROWSNEST PASS, Municipality	-0.11	0.12	1894	0.26	76
CYPRESS COUNTY	0.18	0.11	2428	-0.06	54
DEVON	5%	54%	$1,459	47%	83
DIDSBURY	0.26	0.55	1461	0.23	41
DRAYTON VALLEY	7%	65%	$3,016	54%	156
DRUMHELLER	0.03	0.23	1543	0.19	40
ECKVILLE	10%	61%	$1,675	45%	96
EDMONTON	26%	60%	$2,132	26%	93
EDSON	3%	46%	$1,924	41%	105
ELK POINT	14%	71%	$1,613	50%	100
FAIRVIEW	0	0.24	1549	0.24	47
FAIRVIEW NO. 136, MD	-7%	-15%	$2,823	-8%	81
FALHER	-3%	43%	$2,045	48%	125
FOOTHILLS NO. 31, MD	20%	16%	$1,349	-4%	6
FORT MACLEOD	4%	51%	$1,663	45%	94
FORT SASKATCHEWAN	0.67	0.81	2004	0.08	50
FORTY MILE NO. 8, COUNTY	-0.03	-0.02	2376	0.01	68
GIBBONS	11%	71%	$1,362	54%	90
GRANDE CACHE	0.13	0.41	1964	0.25	77
GRANDE PRAIRIE	54%	124%	$1,931	46%	115
GRANDE PRAIRIE NO. 1, COUNTY	13%	33%	$2,722	18%	121
GRIMSHAW	0.03	0.42	1381	0.37	59
HANNA	-10%	37%	$1,726	53%	112
HIGH LEVEL	-1%	16%	$2,174	17%	79
HIGH PRAIRIE	-0.08	0.08	1942	0.18	66
HIGH RIVER	36%	148%	$2,151	83%	152
HINTON	-1%	60%	$1,936	62%	134
I.D. NO. 09 (BANFF)	-22%	51%	$1,386	93%	140
INNISFAIL	7%	61%	$1,564	50%	97
IRRICANA	5%	19%	$1,370	13%	20
JASPER, Municipality	-1%	29%	$2,291	31%	113
LAC STE. ANNE COUNTY	15%	24%	$1,452	8%	18
LACOMBE	17%	84%	$1,676	57%	119
LACOMBE COUNTY	-3%	36%	$2,195	40%	123
LAMONT	4%	16%	$1,627	12%	34
LEDUC	95%	167%	$2,159	37%	114
LEGAL	16%	37%	$1,287	18%	26
LESSER SLAVE RIVER NO. 124, MD		-0.26	3343	-0.32	74
LETHBRIDGE	0.23	0.44	1919	0.17	61
LETHBRIDGE, COUNTY	1%	5%	$1,640	4%	23
LLOYDMINSTER	27%	101%	$2,368	57%	143
MACKENZIE COUNTY	21%	17%	$1,853	-4%	27
MAGRATH	20%	39%	$1,002	16%	10
MANNING	-10%	57%	$2,617	74%	158
MAYERTHORPE	-11%	44%	$1,739	62%	127
MEDICINE HAT	12%	8%	$1,618	-4%	14
MILLET	-2%	80%	$1,392	83%	135
MINBURN NO. 27, COUNTY	-2%	46%	$3,209	48%	157
MORINVILLE	0.51	1.02	1415	0.33	52
MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY	2%	-4%	$1,419	-6%	7
NANTON	16%	70%	$1,572	47%	92
NEWELL, COUNTY	0	-0.13	2489	-0.13	46
NOBLEFORD	48%	62%	$756	10%	1
NORTHERN LIGHTS, COUNTY	-2%	5%	$3,588	7%	141
OKOTOKS	140%	104%	$1,406	-15%	2
OLDS	29%	96%	$1,891	52%	124
ONOWAY	0%	48%	$1,886	48%	116
OYEN	-8%	33%	$2,063	45%	122
PARKLAND COUNTY	0.03	0.37	1666	0.33	73
PEACE NO. 135, MD	-0.03	0.06	1751	0.1	39
PEACE RIVER	8%	59%	$2,210	48%	129
PENHOLD	62%	136%	$1,771	45%	104
PICTURE BUTTE	-3%	47%	$1,681	51%	107
PINCHER CREEK	-1%	42%	$1,757	44%	101
PINCHER CREEK NO. 9, MD	-1%	44%	$2,767	46%	146
PONOKA	7%	60%	$1,723	49%	106
PONOKA COUNTY	1%	-13%	$1,433	-14%	4
PROVOST	-2%	36%	$1,724	39%	88
RAYMOND	0.31	0.82	1318	0.39	57
RED DEER	20%	83%	$2,088	52%	128
RED DEER COUNTY	-0.02	0.11	1971	0.12	56
REDCLIFF	28%	38%	$1,239	8%	13
REDWATER	-3%	28%	$1,889	32%	87
RIMBEY	10%	17%	$1,533	6%	19
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE	4%	43%	$1,631	39%	80
ROCKY VIEW COUNTY	0.1	0.39	1609	0.27	55
SEXSMITH	25%	96%	$1,229	57%	84
SMOKY LAKE	1%	40%	$2,025	39%	109
SMOKY RIVER NO. 130, M.D.	-11%	41%	$2,862	57%	153
SPRUCE GROVE	0.83	1.33	1729	0.27	70
ST. ALBERT	15%	60%	$1,852	40%	99
ST. PAUL	17%	31%	$1,587	12%	31
ST. PAUL NO. 19, COUNTY	0%	36%	$2,799	36%	139
STARLAND COUNTY	-6%	7%	$3,960	14%	154
STETTLER	10%	60%	$1,746	46%	103
STETTLER NO. 6, COUNTY	-5%	40%	$2,707	47%	145
STIRLING	39%	75%	$1,055	26%	22
STONY PLAIN	53%	71%	$1,647	12%	35
STRATHCONA COUNTY	19%	74%	$2,411	46%	137
STRATHMORE	29%	60%	$1,365	24%	37
STURGEON COUNTY	0.04	0.28	1888	0.24	72
SUNDRE	19%	75%	$1,704	47%	102
SWAN HILLS	-19%	45%	$2,131	79%	149
SYLVAN LAKE	68%	106%	$1,344	22%	32
TABER	0.09	0.4	1759	0.28	71
TABER, MD	19%	2%	$1,965	-15%	17
THORSBY	28%	36%	$2,699	6%	98
THREE HILLS	-0.09	0.14	1540	0.26	49
TIELD	0.2	0.55	1593	0.29	58
TROCHU	4%	40%	$1,795	35%	86
TWO HILLS	0.29	0.63	1549	0.27	51
TWO HILLS NO. 21, COUNTY	21%	54%	$2,827	28%	136
VALLEYVIEW	6%	36%	$2,572	28%	126
VAUXHALL	16%	66%	$1,584	43%	85
VEGREVILLE	4%	48%	$2,373	42%	131
VERMILION	2%	47%	$1,726	43%	95
VERMILION RIVER, COUNTY	8%	3%	$1,853	-4%	24
VIKING	-1%	49%	$2,302	51%	138
VULCAN	4%	53%	$2,288	47%	133
WAINWRIGHT	17%	23%	$1,414	5%	15
WAINWRIGHT NO. 61, MD	-2%	-21%	$3,501	-19%	110
WARNER NO. 5, COUNTY	1%	11%	$1,683	10%	33
WESTLOCK	7%	107%	$1,961	94%	155
WESTLOCK COUNTY	11%	20%	$1,554	8%	25
WETASKIWIN	0.13	0.5	1545	0.33	65
WETASKIWIN NO. 10, COUNTY	2%	-14%	$1,542	-15%	5
WHEATLAND COUNTY	5%	35%	$2,324	28%	111
WILLOW CREEK NO. 26, MD	-6%	50%	$1,940	59%	132
WOODLANDS COUNTY	21%	62%	$3,102	34%	147
YELLOWHEAD COUNTY	6%	20%	$3,441	13%	142