Tax dollar breakdown
Breaking down your tax dollar
Your property tax bill is split into municipal tax, education tax and senior’s affordable housing. Municipal property taxes are set by City Council and help support a variety of services The City provides such as:
- Police and fire protection,
- Recreation, Parks and Culture,
- Public transit and neighborhood infrastructure.
The following is how the municipal portion of your tax dollar is spent, using the approved 2026 budget:
For 2026, The City updated the methodology and approach used to show how property tax dollars are distributed across services. The updated approach uses more refined assumptions and provides a clearer picture of how tax-supported services are funded.
This means some category amounts look different from previous years. Earlier figures were calculated correctly using the methodology in place at the time, but they are not directly comparable to the 2026 presentation. To support a fair year-over-year comparison, the 2025 tax dollar breakdown (pdf) has also been recalculated using the 2026 methodology.
12.6%
RCMP
What you get for your tax dollarThe City contracts the RCMP to provide policing services, including emergency response, crime prevention, investigations, community safety, and public education.
4.8%
Municipal Police
What you get for your tax dollarCity Community Peace Officers support policing through bylaw enforcement, traffic enforcement, and expand the Downtown Patrol Unit with two enhanced duty CPOs. MPS also consists of front counter customer service, non-emergency call dispatchers, exhibit custodians, and other administrative support roles.
16.2%
Emergency Services
What you get for your tax dollarRed Deer Emergency Services ensures residents have high quality emergency fire, advanced life support, rescue and hazardous material services, as well as the knowledge to safeguard themselves from fire and injury. Red Deer also provides a regional 9-1-1 call centre.
17.1%
Recreation & Community
What you get for your tax dollarThrough our recreation centres, amenities and programs, along with a variety of community and social well-being and support programs, the lives of Red Deerians are enhanced.
10.5%
Roads & Maintenance
What you get for your tax dollarCity crews maintain hundreds of kilometers of roads and sidewalks in all seasons through snow and ice control, street sweeping, bridge and road maintenance and construction projects.
12.8%
Parks
What you get for your tax dollarKnown as a city in a park, residents and visitors alike enjoy the vast parks and trails that our City crews maintain.
5%
Transit & Fleet
What you get for your tax dollarOperating both Conventional Bus service and the Action Bus, Transit ensures Red Deerians have transportation options in the community. Fleet Services is responsible for purchasing, managing and maintaining all City vehicles and equipment.
15.5%
City Administration
What you get for your tax dollarThe City has many people working behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly – everything from HR and finance to IT and communications. Long-term debt payments are also reflected here.
3.6%
City Planning & Growth
What you get for your tax dollarThe City focuses on land use planning, community growth to create vibrant neighborhoods. We also city supports local tourism, the regional airport, downtown businesses, and overall economic development to create a thriving and sustainable Red Deer.
1.9%
Streetlights, Utilities & Storm Water
What you get for your tax dollarFor the most part, utility services like electricity, water, wastewater and waste are funded through utility charges, not taxes. However, some tax dollars are used to maintain the infrastructure.