Town of Bonnyville council has approved a 1.5 per cent rate increase for the Northern Lights Library System.
Council considered the budget increase at the Oct. 14 regular council meeting.
The town contributes annually to the library system based on a levy calculated using municipal populations. In 2025, they contributed $35,125.34 based on a population of 6,422 at $5.47 per capita.
The 1.5 per cent increase would bring the town’s contribution to $35,642.10. Coun. David Sharun gave an update from the Northern Lights library meeting regarding their budget.
“In 2025, we’re looking at about a $78,000 deficit which we will have to pull from our reserves to balance the budget,” he said. “In 2026, we’re looking at a $20,000 deficit, 2027, we should be pretty close to a balance budget where we won’t have to touch our reserves.”
He says the increase in the budget ask from the library comes from potential provincial changes.
“I believe, the province is going to announce different funding models perhaps using a different year of census so things could change back then so that’s why the increase in the 1.5 per cent,” said Sharun.
Since council approved the 1.5 per cent rate increase for the library, that amount is what will be presented in the upcoming town budget.
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