Smart Growth, Lower Taxes: Building a Stronger Parkland County

One of the biggest challenges for any municipality — including Parkland County — is finding the right balance between providing quality services and keeping taxes affordable for residents. Roads, snow clearing, fire services, recreation facilities, and infrastructure all come at a cost. The question is: who pays for it?

When the majority of the tax base comes from residential properties, the financial burden falls heavily on homeowners. That’s why responsible business development is so important. By expanding our non-residential tax base, we can generate significant revenue from commercial and industrial sectors — helping to offset the costs of essential services and reduce the pressure on residential taxpayers.

Parkland County has a major advantage with areas like Acheson, one of Alberta’s most successful industrial zones. When businesses succeed there, the entire County benefits. More business growth means more jobs close to home, stronger local supply chains, and additional tax revenue — revenue that can be reinvested into maintaining rural roads, improving community facilities, and keeping property taxes stable.

However, this growth needs to happen in the right places. Developing new industrial or commercial projects in rural areas that aren’t suited for them often leads to higher infrastructure costs — things like road maintenance, utilities, and emergency services. These expenses quickly eat into any short-term gain and can actually drive taxes up for everyone.

That’s why I believe we need to focus on expanding and optimizing existing business-zoned areas like Acheson and other designated industrial corridors, rather than scattering developments across rural landscapes. Concentrating growth where infrastructure already exists is not only efficient — it’s fiscally responsible.

As your councillor, I would advocate for policies that encourage investment in these established zones, while preserving the rural character and lifestyle that make Parkland County such a great place to live. Smart business growth isn’t just about economics — it’s about protecting our quality of life, our natural spaces, and our wallets.

By growing wisely, we can ensure that Parkland County remains prosperous, sustainable, and affordable for generations to come.

Learn more at robpellerin.ca