News feed - The Border Pulse

What the Final draft budget means for your 2026 taxes

If approved later today Lloydminster residents are being asked to absorb a 4.08 per cent municipal tax increase under the City’s draft 2026 budget. The proposed rate is slightly higher than the 3.9 per cent increase previewed earlier this month. Administration says the increase is driven by inflation, protective services spending and higher debt repayment costs. The budget also reflects lower revenue from fines, enforcement and reserve transfers. What it means for the average homeowner A 4.08 per cent increase would add roughly $95 to the annual tax bill for an average residential home assessed at about $300,000. The exact

Where Lloydminster plans to spend big in 2026

Featured, Municipal politics

Lloydminster’s 2026 capital plan directs millions of dollars toward road work, utilities and long term infrastructure improvements. The largest investments include the Street Improvement Program at 2.7 million dollars, fleet replacement at 2.8 million dollars and trail and sidewalk upgrades worth 590 thousand dollars. A major traffic light upgrade at 50 Avenue and 62 Street is also budgeted at 590 thousand dollars, partially funded through provincial grants. Rising debt costs also shape the 2026 plan The City will pay more in debt interest and principal next year. Administration paused Cenovus Hub debt payments in 2025 as a one time savings

What Lloydminster never saw: a decade of fire spending the City did not provide

Featured, Municipal politics

When council asked administration for a 10 year breakdown of fire department costs ahead of the 2026 budget vote, the information never arrived. The City released a 376 page budget package with projections, plans and future capital forecasts, but did not include a historical operating review of Lloydminster Fire Rescue. The Border Pulse reconstructed that history using every publicly available City budget between 2014 and 2026. The results show a department that has grown from a largely volunteer operation into a fully staffed, multi station service with one of the fastest rising cost curves in the municipality. Council did not

What Lloydminster never saw: a decade of RCMP costs the City did not provide

Featured, Municipal politics

When council asked administration for a 10 year operating cost review for both the RCMP and Lloydminster Fire Rescue ahead of the 2026 budget vote, the information was not provided. The final budget package includes future capital projections, but no long term history of spending on policing. The Border Pulse reviewed every available Lloydminster City budget from 2015 to 2026 to rebuild the RCMP cost trend. The numbers show a steady and significant increase over the past decade, driven by contract changes, retroactive pay, staffing adjustments and inflation. The City did not present this information to council as requested. Here

Investigative: City salaries climb faster than the overall budget

Featured, Municipal politics

As council prepares to debate Lloydminster’s 2026 budget, new analysis shows the cost of salaries, wages and benefits has grown far faster than the city’s population and now represents the largest portion of all municipal spending. Public budget documents reviewed by The Border Pulse show salaries have increased from $31.08 million in 2019 to $43.85 million in the 2025 budget. That is a 41 per cent increase in seven years. Over the same period, total spending increased by 35 per cent. The result is that salaries now consume 35.6 per cent of all municipal spending, the highest share in the

City ignores mayor, fails to provide requested information

Featured, Municipal politics

Council is preparing to debate the City of Lloydminster’s 2026 budget, but a key piece of information requested earlier this month did not appear in the final document. During the Nov. 5 Governance and Priorities Committee meeting, Mayor Gerald Aalbers asked city administration to provide a 10 year cost review for Lloydminster Fire Rescue and the RCMP. He said taxpayers needed to understand how service levels and expenses have changed over time. “I think what I would ask administration to bring forward for the 24th is a cost review over the last 10 years for both RCMP and fire. I

GUEST Opinion – The Lloydminster Municipal Police Committee gets to work

Featured, Community Insights

Thursday, November 6 saw the first public forum of the newly organized LloydminsterMunicipal Police Committee in conjunction with the RCMP. Held at the Legacy Centre on adark, snowy evening, over 60 people braved the first snow of the season to hear from the RCMP,ask questions and talk about policing in our community. Being one of the organizers of theevening, I can say that I was delighted with the turnout and the interaction between thecommunity, the RCMP and the members of the Municipal Police Committee. So, what is the Municipal Police Committee (MCP), why does it exist and what does itdo?

Lloydminster left off Regional advisory council

Featured, Provincial News

Regional Advisory Council member, and newly minted Vermilion Mayor, Robert Snow, says Lloydminster needs a seat at the table if it wants its rural health concerns heard. Snow spoke Nov. 18 during a lunch meeting with the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society. He explained the role of the council and how its members provide feedback to the provincial government on rural health issues. Mandate explained Snow said the council’s job is to share what rural communities experience and advise the provincial government on what frontline realities look like outside major cities. “It is about making sure we are

Deadly domestic violence stats shared in Lloydminster

Featured, Community Insights

When Devona Gibson stepped to the front of the room on OTS room at the Servus Sports Centre, she carried a message that was as heavy as it was urgent. Domestic violence is a huge problem across Alberta and Canada. Gibson, who works in member support, programs and services for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, travelled to Lloydminster on Nov. 20 to speak with local service providers and meet with the community. She said the visit mattered because understanding each region’s challenges helps shelters and advocates respond to a crisis that has only deepened in recent years. “It was

Collision closes 16 near Maidstone

Featured, Alerts and incidents

Multiple reports have come in at this hour of a serious collision on highway 16 near Maidstone in the eastbound lanes. RCMP, Maidstone Fire, and EMS are all on scene. There are not current details available. However, the highway is closed and people are being advised to use the old highway for the time being. The Border Pulse has reached out to RCMP “F” division for details and will add more when they become available. Read more: Saskatchewan RCMP fires back amid rising criticism