YORKTON — Yorkton city council has approved its 2026 operating and capital budget, setting a total increase of 3.85 per cent for the coming year.
The increase is made up of a 2.75 per cent rise to fund day-to-day operations and a 1.10 per cent increase dedicated to capital projects. City administration estimates the impact on the average household will be about $7.60 per month, or $91.20 annually.
The operating budget covers the services residents interact with daily, including policing, road maintenance, snow removal, parks, recreation facilities and city administration.
For 2026, the City of Yorkton is projecting operating net revenues of $40,587,740 and net expenses of $40,586,988, resulting in a small forecasted surplus of $752.
Public safety and core services account for the largest share of the budget. RCMP operations make up 15.36 per cent of total spending, with just over $6.23 million allocated to policing services.
Public Works follows closely at 15.32 per cent, or $6.22 million. The department supports road maintenance, sidewalks, street lighting, drainage systems and snow removal. One of the most significant service-level changes in the budget is an increase in Public Works spending aimed at improving road resurfacing, drainage and sidewalks. More than $700,000 has been added collectively to those areas, with roads seeing a 13 per cent increase, sidewalks and curbs seeing a 48 per cent increase and drainage funding rising by 104 per cent. Administration says the increase is intended to shorten what it describes as an inadequate road replacement cycle.
Debt servicing represents 14.35 per cent of the budget, totaling about $5.82 million. Those funds go toward long-term projects such as drainage improvements, the York Road project, recreation facilities and the city operations centre.
Recreation and community services account for 10.57 per cent of total spending, or roughly $4.29 million. That includes funding for parks, recreation programming, pathways and horticulture, along with facilities such as ball diamonds, Kinsmen Arena, Godfrey Dean, Gloria Hayden, the Yorkton Public Library, Deer Park Golf Course, the cemetery, soccer fields and transit services.
Capital projects make up 9.7 per cent of the budget, with nearly $3.94 million allocated to improvements including streets and intersections, drainage and storm infrastructure, facility upgrades, park improvements, equipment purchases and other large-scale infrastructure work.
Fire and bylaw services represent 8.96 per cent of spending, or about $3.64 million, covering operations and equipment needs for emergency response and enforcement.
The Gallagher Centre accounts for 6.39 per cent of the budget, totaling approximately $2.59 million. That funding supports operations and maintenance for the arena, curling rink, water park, Flexi Hall, convention centre and surrounding grounds and buildings.
Planning and engineering services make up 6.38 per cent of total spending, or just under $2.59 million. Those funds support building and planning services, inspections, traffic control, airport operations, land use planning, economic development initiatives and the management of capital projects.
City council operations represent the smallest share of the budget at 2.48 per cent, totaling just over $1 million. That includes funding for council advocacy, along with grants and rebates provided to community organizations.
The budget also includes changes to the city’s utilities. With respect to the water utility, council previously approved a four per cent increase to water rates and a $5 per month increase to the residential water base charge. Combined, residents will see an increase of approximately $6.95 per month on their utility bills.
Administration says the increase is necessary to manage aging underground infrastructure and meet growing demands on the city’s water and sewer systems. The water utility is the largest self-sustaining utility in Yorkton, with more than $17 million in planned revenue for 2026. While some of the increase comes from higher rates, a significant portion is tied to projected growth in industrial water use, which is expected to account for about half of total water consumption in the city.
Much of the additional revenue will be directed toward water and sewer main replacements. Those budgets are increasing by more than $1.2 million in an effort to replace failing infrastructure at a more sustainable pace.
Yorkton city council also approved a two-year capital budget that sets out more than $6 million in infrastructure projects for 2026, with a further increase planned for 2027.
The capital budget includes a 1.10 per cent increase to property taxes, translating to roughly $337,000 in additional revenue. That brings the city’s capital spending total to $6,062,000 for 2026. As part of the two-year plan, the capital budget will rise by another one per cent in 2027.
A total of 22 projects are receiving funding from the 2026 Capital Budget out of the 48 listed projects.
City administration says the capital program is focused on maintaining and upgrading core infrastructure, while also addressing long-standing needs tied to roads, utilities and major community facilities.
Several of the largest projects in the 2026 capital plan are tied to underground infrastructure. These include culvert and storm sewer replacements on both York Road West and York Road East, along with Landfill Road timber bridge repairs. Downtown street light pole replacements are also planned as part of efforts to improve safety and reliability in the city’s core.
Public safety projects feature prominently in the capital budget, including the purchase of a new fire truck to replace aging equipment. Additional funding is also earmarked for upgrades at the Gallagher Centre, with projects ranging from an arena chiller replacement and HVAC improvements to an Ag Pavilion recreation facility retrofit.
Recreation infrastructure is another key focus. The budget includes funding for the Kinsmen Arena metal roof restoration, paving work along the Weinmaster pathway, upgrades to outdoor basketball courts at various locations and the replacement of an Access Transit bus.
Water and sewer systems are also receiving investment. Planned work includes sanitary sewer condition assessments and continued road resurfacing and sidewalk repair tied to underground infrastructure renewal.
A look at the City of Yorkton’s 2026 Capital Projects:
| Project | Total Cost | Reserve Funding | Captial Budget | Other Funding | Notes |
| WPCP expansion – detailed design cost increase | $3,200,000 | ($3,130,000) | ($70,000) | Revised project cost | |
| Annual road and drainage allocation – York Road loan | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | |||
| Outdoor basketball courts | $910,000 | ($910,000) | Reallocated funding | ||
| Emergency equipment and training | $760,000 | ($760,000) | 100% ETF grant funded | ||
| Sanitary sewer condition assessment | $750,000 | ($750,000) | |||
| Fleet equipment purchases | $748,000 | ($723,000) | ($25,000) | Trade-ins | |
| CAP funding projects – Apron 2 & 3 pavement rehabilitation and PAPI light system (revised scope) | $698,198 | ($224,099) | $125,000 | ($349,099) | Dependent on CAP funding |
| York Road West culvert replacement (campground) | $560,000 | ($560,000) | York Road funding | ||
| Pavement and overlay program | $500,000 | $500,000 | |||
| Annual allocation – terminal building | $480,000 | $480,000 | $260,000 airport allocation, $220,000 facilities | ||
| Fire truck replacement – cost increase | $450,000 | ($450,000) | $500,000 from 2022 budget | ||
| York Road West storm sewer replacement (JC Beach) | $450,000 | ($450,000) | |||
| Additional curb, gutter and sidewalk replacement | $400,000 | ($400,000) | Arterial road reserves | ||
| Kinsmen Arena metal roof restoration | $350,000 | $350,000 | |||
| Ag Pavilion recreation facility retrofit | $350,000 | ($350,000) | — | Rainy day fund | |
| Laurier Avenue storm sewer relocation | $300,000 | $300,000 | Reserve allocation only | ||
| Landfill Road timber bridge repairs | $275,000 | ($275,000) | Landfill reserve | ||
| Stockpile site improvements | $256,000 | $256,000 | |||
| Sewer system master plan | $250,000 | ($250,000) | |||
| City Hall rooftop AC replacement | $200,000 | $200,000 | Facilities allocation | ||
| Transit bus replacement | $180,000 | $180,000 | |||
| Annual allocation – drainage and irrigation | $160,000 | $160,000 | |||
| York Road East culvert replacement | $160,000 | ($160,000) | |||
| King Street and Highway 9 intersection – design | $160,000 | ($160,000) | Land fund | ||
| Arena chiller replacement | $150,000 | $150,000 | |||
| Weinmaster pathway paving | $150,000 | $150,000 | |||
| North development transmission main – design | $150,000 | ($150,000) | |||
| HVAC rooftop unit replacement | $130,000 | $130,000 | |||
| Water park feature pumps | $125,000 | ($76,000) | $49,000 | ||
| 5th Avenue North storm sewer | $125,000 | $125,000 | |||
| Fire hall upgrades | $114,000 | $114,000 | |||
| Downtown street light pole replacement | $110,000 | ($110,000) | |||
| Equipment – mowers, runabouts, greens mowers, trap rake | $80,000 | ($80,000) | |||
| New pedestrian crosswalk signals (Dracup and Darlington) | $75,000 | $75,000 | Land fund | ||
| QSWTP security upgrades | $70,000 | ($70,000) | |||
| Fire panel replacement | $60,000 | $60,000 | |||
| Bobcat buyout | $60,000 | ($60,000) | |||
| Outbuilding improvements | $55,000 | ($27,500) | ($27,500) | Exhibition partnership | |
| National Street and Highway 9 intersection – design | $53,000 | ($53,000) | Land fund | ||
| Accessibility plan consultant | $50,000 | $36,000 | ($14,000) | 2025 partial funding | |
| Parks and wayfinding signage standards | $40,000 | $40,000 | |||
| City operations centre gym equipment | $35,000 | $25,000 | ($10,000) | CUPE contribution | |
| Dracup drainage pond fountain | $30,000 | ($30,000) | Partnership contingent | ||
| Curling rink sprinkler system code upgrade | $25,000 | ($25,000) | |||
| Highway 9 and Broadway sidewalk connectivity | $20,000 | $20,000 | |||
| $45,000 | ($25,000) | $20,000 | |||
| Equipment – runabout or gator | $20,000 | ($20,000) | Sale proceeds from old unit | ||
| Smith Street CNR crossing sidewalk relocation | $15,000 | ($15,000) | |||
| Timber bridges follow-up inspection | $10,000 | ($10,000) | |||
| $16,844,198 | ($8,903,599) | $6,045,000 | ($1,895,599) |
