The council chamber of the City of Lloydminster. (Image Credit: Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

Delayed Lloydminster projects move $35M into 2026 budget

Feb 4, 2026 | 3:26 PM

Lloydminster city council approved moving roughly $35 million worth of unfinished municipal projects into 2026, allowing work already budgeted last year to continue without approving new project funding.

Council voted Monday to approve $35,000,275 in operating and capital carry-forward projects from 2025 into the city’s 2026 budget, which administration said is required when projects extend beyond the calendar year.

“The majority of city projects are budgeted and completed on an annual basis. However, there are instances where projects need more than one year to be completed,” said Ryan Hill with the city’s corporate services department.

The carry-forward includes about $272,000 in operating projects and approximately $34.7 million in capital projects.

Major projects on the list include nearly $2 million remaining for the city’s multi-use sports facility, $7.5 million tied to the northeast effluent discharge line project and more than $4.6 million related to a landfill operations building and scalehouse. 

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Other projects include park redevelopment work, fire equipment upgrades and road improvements across the city. Click here to view the full list of projects that will be carried forward.

Hill said most delays stem from factors outside the city’s control, including contractor schedules, equipment delivery timelines and seasonal construction limits. He added several initiatives were designed to span multiple years, particularly large infrastructure work.

Other delays were linked to changes in project scope, staffing shortages and supply chain disruptions, though Hill noted supply chain issues have eased compared to previous years.

Council members raised questions about whether delays could increase costs, particularly for equipment purchases. Administration said most purchases are secured through tenders, meaning prices are generally locked in when contracts are awarded.

“We tender those pieces of equipment, and they’re obligated to provide that piece of equipment for the tender price,” administration told council. 

“So not asking for more money, it’s just we need to carry that money into the next year so that we can pay the invoice when, when the invoice is due.”

Administration also said some internal projects were delayed as staff focused on completing major initiatives such as the Cenovus Energy Hub, as well as managing departmental vacancies.

“I think some of the under resourced has to do with we had vacancies in some of those departments,” administration said. 

“Some teams had to put some of their internal department projects on the back burner to get to the finish line on that.”

Council members said they did not see significant concerns within the carry-forward list but emphasized the importance of maintaining project timelines.

“I don’t see anything that I put a severe red flag on to say that it’s a make-or-break sort of thing for our community,” Coun. Jason Whiting said.

Mayor Gerald Aalbers said many of the delays reflect common challenges in construction and procurement.

“The bulk of it is a lot of factors that are well outside the city’s control,” Aalbers said.

Administration said funding for the projects was already approved in the 2025 budget, meaning the carry-forward does not create new financial pressure for 2026.

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com