‘Tremendous’ budget focus on infrastructure, says Town CAO

Posted on June 8, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

By Marcus Day

Maple Creek News

$810,655 of the 2026 Maple Creek tax levy is going towards capital projects, including road repairs, airport work, landfill screening, equipment replacement and sewer relining.

Another $1,531,500 will come from reserves, while grants will provide a third funding source.

The figures are in the 2026 Town of Maple Creek Budget passed last month.

In an interview with the News-Times last week, Barry Elliott, chief administrative officer, spoke about the state of the Town’s finances and identified some highlights of the budget.

He praised the contribution of Rebekah Mathieu, who has worked on the budget, year-end financials and audit since joining the Town as financial officer in January.

“She has done an admirable job in all of those areas, and is very much appreciated,” he said.

Elliott said Town and administration were very pleased with the budget.

“The Town is in a very good financial position,” he said, pointing out there had been no need to reduce services.

Council, he added, devoted much time to sorting through a long list of desired projects.

These include:

• Street repairs, patching and paving in town. $350,000 has been allocated from the 2026 levy towards this.

“We are doing a lot of repairs throughout the whole community,” said Elliott.

Canadian Paving is doing some of it, but may not do it all.

“You’ve seen the gravel on the street. People are concerned about that, but it is only temporary. We needed some heat from the sun.”;

• Sidewalks, particularly in the area of the elementary school, the new daycare, and the Global Learning School;
• More work at the airport. Some repairs, patching and seal-coating have already taken place;
• $100,000 has been earmarked for buying 10 additional entrapment screens for the active cell at the landfill.

“We are trying to keep plastic bags from blowing on to neighbouring properties,” said Elliott. “We are trying our best to become better neighbours to people out there by being a little more proactive in taking care of our problems on-site. We have talked about putting trees in around the landfill etc. Hopefully, we will start that process very soon. So, there is lots of work going on at the landfill.”;

• Continuing work around the swimming pool.

“We have got some money set in budget to finish off the front grounds and

the grounds around the outside of the pool, with hydro seeding around

the sides at the back of the pool to get some grass growing,” said Elliott. “At the

front of the pool, we want to do something a little different. We are in

the process of looking at our options. We are going to be putting some

new gravel on the parking lot, so it’s drier, cleaner and doesn’t get so

muddy and that sort of thing. We are not paving it at this point, but maybe

that will happen some day”.;

• Equipment replacement. The Town is getting a large mower for the Parks Department.

“We are in the process of purchasing or leasing it,” said Elliott. “It depends on the final cost.”;

• Money has been set aside for a firm do a development plan for the

expanded cemetery area.

“We don’t have as yet, but we are preparing for that because we know we are needing to increase the size of the cemetery,” said Elliott;

• Improving utility services.

“Right now we are doing analysis of our system at the lagoon, trying to

address ongoing problems there,” said Elliott. “Everything is working fine. We want them to function even better. Our aim is to address operational problems and improve them.”;

• Sewer relining is going to continue in 2026; and
• Work on lift stations and reservoirs.

Eliott said the budget’s goal was to continue the smooth running of Town services.

“There is tremendous focus on ensuring our infrastructure is working very well.

So those are some of the big things in our 2026 budget.”