Council recognizes that any increase in property taxes has an impact on residents and businesses. The 2026 tax increase was approved to help maintain current municipal services, address rising operating costs, and support the long-term financial sustainability of the Municipality.

While property assessments may change from year to year, an increase in assessment does not automatically mean that the Municipality is collecting more revenue. Municipal tax rates are established annually based on the funding required to deliver services, maintain infrastructure, and meet operational needs.

Several factors contributed to the 2026 tax increase, including:

• Rising costs for fuel, utilities, road maintenance materials, equipment repairs, and other day-to-day municipal operations.
• Significant increases in the cost of replacing and maintaining municipal equipment and infrastructure.
• Higher insurance costs for municipal buildings and equipment.
• Increased financial responsibility for wildfire response, including costs that municipalities may be required to cover before provincial assistance becomes available.
• Continued increases in provincially mandated requisitions, such as the Alberta Education Property Tax and the Police Funding Model, which are established by the Province and are outside of Council’s control.
• The need to rebuild municipal reserves to help fund future infrastructure replacement, respond to emergencies, and maintain long-term financial stability.

Council remains committed to responsible financial management while continuing to provide the essential services that residents rely on every day. Through careful long-term planning and prudent financial decision-making, the Municipality can protect and maintain infrastructure, sustain service levels, and reduce the likelihood of larger tax increases in the future.

Residents with questions regarding their property taxes are encouraged to contact the Municipal Office at (780) 864-3500.

Residents with questions regarding their property assessments are encouraged to contact the Property Assessor at Northern Sunrise County by calling (780) 624-0013.

For more information, read the Understanding Property Tax & Requisition Breakdown.

09-DP-26 Notice of Approval

For more information, go to Taxes & Assessments.

Please join Council during their Regular Council meeting on June 24^th @ 9:00 AM, either in person at the MD Administration Office or virtually on Teams.

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 265 752 763 517 63

Passcode: WD2yp3CR

For access to the agenda, click on June 24, 2026 Agenda

Alberta Energy Rebate Applications Open July 1

Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible Albertans can apply for the new Alberta Energy Rebate, a one-time payment designed to help offset the rising costs of fuel, groceries, utilities, and other household expenses.

The rebate will provide direct financial relief to approximately 3.4 million Albertans, ensuring that elevated energy revenues are returned to residents in a flexible way that allows families to use the funds where they need them most.

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify for the Alberta Energy Rebate, applicants must:

• Be an Alberta resident
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have filed a 2025 income tax return
• Have a household income of $225,000 or less

For the purposes of the rebate, a household is defined as either:

• One individual living alone, or
• Two individuals who are married or in a common-law relationship

Adults aged 18 and over who live at the same address but are not married or common-law partners are considered separate households and may apply individually. This includes:

• Adult children
• Roommates
• Other adult family members

Rebate Amount

Eligible Albertans can receive:

• $100 per eligible adult
• Up to $200 for eligible two-adult households

Additional eligible adults aged 18 and older living in the same residence may also qualify for their own $100 payment if they are considered separate households under the program guidelines.

The rebate is intended to provide flexible support that can be used for any household need, including fuel, groceries, rent, utilities, or other living expenses.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted through a secure online portal beginning:

July 1, 2026

The application period will remain open until:

September 30, 2026

Residents are encouraged to apply as early as possible once the portal opens.

Automatic Enrollment for Some Albertans

Certain Albertans will not need to apply and will automatically receive their payment, including those receiving:

• Alberta Seniors Benefit
• Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)
• Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP)
• Income Support

Important Information

• The Alberta Energy Rebate is not taxable.
• The payment does not need to be reported to the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Receiving the rebate will not affect eligibility or benefit amounts under AISH, ADAP, Income Support, the Alberta Seniors Benefit, or federal seniors’ programs.

Why the Rebate Is Being Offered

The Alberta government introduced the Energy Rebate in response to elevated energy prices and the increased costs many households are experiencing. Rather than providing relief through fuel tax reductions alone, the rebate delivers direct support that residents can use according to their individual needs.

The program is expected to provide greater financial benefit to Albertans than previous fuel tax relief measures, while ensuring support reaches seniors, transit users, individuals with disabilities, remote workers, and others who may not directly benefit from lower fuel prices.

Learn more by clicking on the Alberta Energy Rebate video – Q & A period starts at the 16:20 mark:

For additional information and application details, visit the Alberta Energy Rebate portal when it opens on July 1, 2026.

08-DP-26 Notice of Approval

A Reminder to all Residents: Help Keep Our Rural Areas Clean

The Municipal District of Spirit River No. 133 is fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful countryside, scenic roadways, and natural spaces that we all share and enjoy. Unfortunately, we continue to see instances of garbage and unwanted items being discarded in ditches, along back roads, under bridges, and in other rural areas.

Improper disposal of waste is not only unsightly—it creates environmental concerns, poses risks to wildlife and livestock, and can become a safety hazard for motorists and maintenance crews. It also places an unnecessary burden on taxpayers, as significant time and resources are required to clean up illegally dumped materials.

The good news? Everyone in the Central Peace has options for their respective areas.

For the MD, it’s R360 Environmental Solutions Canada – Spirit River Landfill, which is available exclusively to MD of Spirit River residents for residential waste disposal.

Location: SW 31-77-5W6M

Hours of Operation:
• Wednesday to Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Closed Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays

Phone: (780) 765-3745

Get Directions: r360canada.com/locations/spirit-river-landfill

A personal-use Landfill Usage Card is required, and can be obtained at the MD office, located at 4202–50 Street in Spirit River. Residents will be asked to verify their name and land location when accessing the site.

For the Village of Rycroft & Town of Spirit River, residents are encouraged to utilize the Clairmont Centre for Recycling & Waste Management, located west of Clairmont on Township Road 724 and north of Range Road 63 in the County of Grande Prairie (NW 27-72-6-W6M).

Residents from both municipalities must obtain a Landfill Usage Card at their respective municipal offices to access the facility; without this card, users are charged tipping fees.  The landfill is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Birch Hills County operates two waste disposal locations: the Tangent Landfill and the Wanham Transfer Station.

• Tangent Landfill: Located at NE 36-78-25-W5, Township Road 790, West of Range Road 244.  It is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This site accepts all waste types, including chemical jugs, grain bags (by appointment), and large loads of building material.

• Wanham Transfer Site: Located at SW 13-78-3-W6, Township Road 782, East of Range Road 31.  It is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This site does not accept large loads of old building material, chicken wire, or barbed wire.

Residents must provide their name and license plate number before unloading at either location.

Saddle Hills County residents are required to dispose of general household waste and recyclables at the seven Garbage Collection Sites located throughout the county, which are open 24/7 for bags of waste in 6-yard bins.

• Collection Sites: These are the primary disposal locations for general solid household waste and recyclables like mixed paper, cardboard, plastic (#1-7), and tin/metal cans.
• Transfer Stations: Located in Blueberry, Bonanza, Gundy, and Woking, these facilities handle items not accepted at collection sites, including certain hazardous materials.
• Clairmont Landfill: Residents may dispose of waste for free at this facility in the County of Grande Prairie through a Landfill Tag System, which requires prior registration with Saddle Hills County.

For Saddle Hills County locations, go to www.saddlehills.ab.ca/home-properties-utilities/garbage-and-recycling/transfer-stations

Let’s work together to keep our roadsides, fields, and natural areas clean, safe, and beautiful for everyone. Please dispose of waste responsibly and use the landfill facility available to you.

Discover the inspiring story of the Bad Heart Straw Church near Teepee Creek, Alberta!

On our first trip for the 2026 Summer Bus Tours, we’ll be heading to the Bad Heart Straw Church, Kleskun Hills & Museum on Friday, June 26. Here is a little bit of history on how the church came to be…

In the heart of the Peace River Country, the small community of Bad Heart grew from a 1919 Soldiers’ Settlement after World War I. Settlers faced challenging farmland and limited amenities, with no local church until the mid-1950s. Residents had to travel to Teepee Creek for services.

Enter Father Francis Dales, a dynamic Redemptorist priest, trained architect, and beloved pastor based in Sexsmith (over 50 km away). Known for his creativity and resourcefulness, Fr. Dales designed and built churches, schools, and other structures using volunteer labour and salvaged materials.

Determined to bring a Catholic church to Bad Heart’s modest community, he turned to an innovative idea: straw bale construction. Inspired by eastern Canadian farm buildings, he used abundant rye or flax straw bales (preserved by natural oils) for an economical solution. Bishop Henri Routhier approved the plan and contributed $500.

Construction began in the summer of 1954. Volunteers completed the unique L-shaped church in about six weeks:

• Built on a cement slab with straw bales stacked on salvaged pipes.
• Thick (about 20-inch) walls, windowless sides for stability, a steep gable roof, and a bank of windows in the gable end.
• Exterior finished with rough stucco mixed with crushed 7-Up bottle shards for texture and sparkle.
• Interior features and furnishings, including pews, were salvaged from other local churches.

The result was a pioneering example of straw bale architecture in Alberta — possibly the only straw church in Canada! It quickly gained attention, even featured in the Toronto Star Weekly.

Today, the Bad Heart Straw Church stands as a Provincial Historic Resource (designated 2009), symbolizing rural ingenuity, community spirit, and Fr. Dales’ remarkable vision. A hidden gem on a hilltop overlooking the Bad Heart River that reminds us what’s possible with faith, creativity, and hard work.

Sign Up Today – Stay Connected and Informed!

Wildfires, severe weather, and other emergencies can happen with little warning. Make sure you and your family receive important alerts when they matter most by registering for Voyent Alert! today. The system provides immediate notifications for emergency situations affecting our area and can even be customized to include neighbouring municipalities.

Don’t wait until an emergency is at your doorstep—register now and stay informed, prepared, and connected.

To register, go to www.voyent-alert.com/community/#registration

Learn more and sign up today!