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AB Municipal Debt Load Rankings

Liability servicing capacity used shows what percentage of borrowing room a municipality has consumed.

314 municipalities ranked Lower is better

Distribution

126

Top of Band

92

Mid-Band

96

Bottom of Band

About this Metric

Low value means

Significant borrowing headroom remains — the municipality has capacity to finance future infrastructure without straining current finances.

High value means

The municipality has consumed a large share of its legal borrowing limit, constraining future capital borrowing and directing more revenue toward debt service.

For Councillors

BC municipalities operate under a statutory debt ceiling: annual debt service costs cannot exceed a set percentage of prior-year revenue. When capacity is nearly exhausted, councils lose the ability to borrow for major capital projects — new rec centres, water treatment upgrades, or road rehabilitation. High debt load also means more current-year revenue flowing to interest payments rather than direct services.

For Residents

A high debt load does not necessarily mean crisis, but it does mean less flexibility. If something breaks — a water main, a bridge — the municipality may have limited ability to borrow to fix it quickly, leading to delays or emergency tax levies. It also means a larger share of your taxes is going toward loan repayments rather than services you can see.

Full Rankings

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Prov. # ▲MunicipalityTypePopulationValueBand Rankvs Band Avg
1Wood BuffaloD81,5770.0%3 of 22-100%
2Athabasca CountyD7,2800.0%3 of 91-100%
3Birch Hills CountyD1,5220.0%3 of 106-100%
4Clear Hills CountyD3,0060.0%4 of 106-100%
5Fairview No. 136, M.d. ofD1,5800.0%5 of 106-100%
6Kneehill CountyD5,0370.0%4 of 91-100%
7Lacombe CountyD11,0720.0%5 of 91-100%
8Minburn County No. 27D3,1420.0%6 of 106-100%
9Paintearth No. 18, County ofD1,9900.0%7 of 106-100%
10Peace No. 135, M.d. ofD1,5810.0%8 of 106-100%
11Ponoka CountyD10,6700.0%6 of 91-100%
12Provost No. 52, M.d. ofD2,0710.0%9 of 106-100%
13Ranchland No. 66, M.d. ofD1100.0%11 of 193-100%
14Saddle Hills CountyD2,4490.0%10 of 106-100%
15Smoky Lake CountyD4,0430.0%11 of 106-100%
16Spirit River No. 133, M.d. ofD6490.0%12 of 193-100%
17Thorhild CountyD3,1470.0%12 of 106-100%
18Two Hills No. 21, County ofD3,4120.0%13 of 106-100%
19Wainwright No. 61, M.d. ofD4,4460.0%14 of 106-100%
20Warner No. 5, County ofD4,2900.0%15 of 106-100%
21BashawT9050.0%13 of 193-100%
22BassanoT1,3810.0%14 of 193-100%
23FairviewT2,9180.0%16 of 106-100%
24HannaT2,6650.0%17 of 106-100%
25HardistyT6280.0%15 of 193-100%
26LegalT1,2530.0%16 of 193-100%
27Milk RiverT8260.0%17 of 193-100%
28Alberta BeachD8150.0%18 of 193-100%
29AmiskD2100.0%19 of 193-100%
30AndrewD4140.0%20 of 193-100%
31Bittern LakeD2240.0%21 of 193-100%
32ChauvinD2840.0%22 of 193-100%
33CliveD9070.0%23 of 193-100%
34ClydeD4190.0%24 of 193-100%
35CouttsD2600.0%25 of 193-100%
36CowleyD2090.0%26 of 193-100%
37CzarD2810.0%27 of 193-100%
38DuchessD1,0450.0%28 of 193-100%
39EdbergD1230.0%29 of 193-100%
40ElnoraD3070.0%30 of 193-100%
41EmpressD1790.0%31 of 193-100%
42GlendonD5320.0%32 of 193-100%
43GlenwoodD2940.0%33 of 193-100%
44HalkirkD950.0%34 of 193-100%
45HeislerD1290.0%35 of 193-100%
46Hill SpringD1830.0%36 of 193-100%
47HughendenD2030.0%37 of 193-100%
48HussarD1920.0%38 of 193-100%
49InnisfreeD2050.0%39 of 193-100%
50IrmaD4820.0%40 of 193-100%
51KitscotyD9640.0%41 of 193-100%
52LougheedD2240.0%42 of 193-100%
53MorrinD2310.0%43 of 193-100%
54Paradise ValleyD2050.0%44 of 193-100%
55RosalindD1920.0%45 of 193-100%
56Spring LakeD7720.0%46 of 193-100%
57VeteranD2300.0%47 of 193-100%
58WarburgD6840.0%48 of 193-100%
59WaskatenauD3240.0%49 of 193-100%
60YoungstownD1790.0%50 of 193-100%
61Argentia BeachV360.0%51 of 193-100%
62Betula BeachV250.0%52 of 193-100%
63Birch CoveV680.0%53 of 193-100%
64BirchcliffV3010.0%54 of 193-100%
65BondissV1260.0%55 of 193-100%
66Bonnyville BeachV700.0%56 of 193-100%
67Burnstick LakeV290.0%57 of 193-100%
68Castle IslandV170.0%58 of 193-100%
69Crystal SpringsV820.0%59 of 193-100%
70Ghost LakeV750.0%60 of 193-100%
71Golden DaysV2570.0%61 of 193-100%
72GrandviewV1810.0%62 of 193-100%
73Gull LakeV2740.0%63 of 193-100%
74Half Moon BayV680.0%64 of 193-100%
75Horseshoe BayV820.0%65 of 193-100%
76Island LakeV1640.0%66 of 193-100%
77Island Lake SouthV830.0%67 of 193-100%
78Itaska BeachV290.0%68 of 193-100%
79Jarvis BayV2240.0%69 of 193-100%
80KapasiwinV340.0%70 of 193-100%
81LakeviewV260.0%71 of 193-100%
82LarkspurV530.0%72 of 193-100%
83Mewatha BeachV960.0%73 of 193-100%
84NorglenwoldV3390.0%74 of 193-100%
85Norris BeachV710.0%75 of 193-100%
86Parkland BeachV1750.0%76 of 193-100%
87Pelican NarrowsV1620.0%77 of 193-100%
88Point AlisonV190.0%78 of 193-100%
89Poplar BayV960.0%79 of 193-100%
90Ross HavenV1200.0%80 of 193-100%
91Sandy BeachV2910.0%81 of 193-100%
92Silver BeachV540.0%82 of 193-100%
93Silver SandsV2440.0%83 of 193-100%
94South BaptisteV850.0%84 of 193-100%
95South ViewV740.0%85 of 193-100%
96Sundance BeachV440.0%86 of 193-100%
97Sunrise BeachV1660.0%87 of 193-100%
98Sunset BeachV640.0%88 of 193-100%
99Sunset PointV2700.0%89 of 193-100%
100Val QuentinV1690.0%90 of 193-100%
101WaiparousV650.0%91 of 193-100%
102West BaptisteV480.0%92 of 193-100%
103West CoveV3070.0%93 of 193-100%
104Whispering HillsV1360.0%94 of 193-100%
105YellowstoneV1170.0%95 of 193-100%
106I.d. No. 04 (Waterton)D5500.0%96 of 193-100%
107I.d. No. 09 (Banff)D1,0040.0%97 of 193-100%
108I.d. No. 24 (Wood Buffalo)D7060.0%98 of 193-100%
109Flagstaff CountyD3,7290.7%21 of 106-95%
110Big Lakes CountyD5,1060.8%7 of 91-95%
111Greenview No. 16, M.d. ofD8,5840.8%8 of 91-94%
112Taber, M.d. ofD7,4471.3%9 of 91-92%
113Clearwater CountyD12,3261.3%10 of 91-91%
114Yellowhead CountyD10,9661.5%12 of 91-90%
115Newell CountyD7,8462.1%13 of 91-86%
116ChestermereD31,6712.8%2 of 48-82%
117Vulcan CountyD4,4912.8%24 of 106-80%
118ValleyviewT1,8072.8%25 of 106-80%
119Willow Creek No. 26, M.d. ofD6,0812.9%15 of 91-81%
120White SandsV1832.9%101 of 193-65%
121NantonT2,5223.0%26 of 106-78%
122EdgertonD3833.1%102 of 193-63%
123GrimshawT2,7993.3%27 of 106-76%
124RosemaryD3743.8%103 of 193-55%
125Bighorn No. 8, M.d. ofD1,5984.0%31 of 106-71%
126Beaver CountyD6,2454.3%16 of 91-71%
127FalherT1,0844.3%105 of 193-48%
128BrooksD17,5374.4%7 of 48-71%
129Vermilion River CountyD8,2154.5%17 of 91-70%
130Bonnyville No. 87, M.d. ofD11,8644.5%18 of 91-70%
131BawlfD3904.6%106 of 193-45%
132Rochon SandsV1155.0%108 of 193-41%
133NoblefordT1,6945.0%34 of 106-63%
134Barrhead County No. 11D6,1865.1%19 of 91-66%
135BanffT11,4025.2%20 of 91-65%
136Acadia No. 34, M.d. ofD4945.3%109 of 193-37%
137WembleyT1,5165.3%35 of 106-61%
138Wheatland CountyD10,1506.0%22 of 91-60%
139McLennanT7296.1%113 of 193-27%
140Diamond ValleyT5,6946.6%23 of 91-56%
141OkotoksT33,4826.7%11 of 48-56%
142StavelyT5776.9%114 of 193-18%
143VilnaD2697.0%115 of 193-17%
144MyrnamD2467.0%116 of 193-16%
145Lamont CountyD3,9187.4%37 of 106-46%
146Smoky LakeT1,1597.5%118 of 193-10%
147High PrairieT2,6077.6%39 of 106-45%
148BarrheadT4,7687.6%41 of 106-44%
149CardstonT3,8537.7%42 of 106-44%
150MilletT1,9677.7%43 of 106-44%
151Swan HillsT1,4307.7%119 of 193-8%
152Picture ButteT2,3807.9%44 of 106-43%
153Lesser Slave River No. 124, M.d. ofD2,8097.9%45 of 106-42%
154Forty Mile County No. 8D4,0737.9%46 of 106-42%
155VauxhallT1,4518.0%120 of 193-5%
156Cypress CountyD7,8558.2%27 of 91-45%
157BerwynD5998.2%121 of 193-2%
158MiloD1318.2%122 of 193-2%
159Pincher CreekT3,8908.5%47 of 106-38%
160Pincher Creek No. 9, M.d. ofD3,2408.6%48 of 106-38%
161ProvostT1,8758.8%49 of 106-36%
162BaronsD3349.0%123 of 193+8%
163BowdenT1,3159.1%125 of 193+8%
164Spirit RiverT9279.2%126 of 193+10%
165Smoky River No. 130, M.d. ofD1,8959.3%51 of 106-32%
166Starland CountyD1,8209.3%52 of 106-32%
167BarnwellD1,0739.5%128 of 193+13%
168HintonT10,1249.5%29 of 91-36%
169LindenD9119.8%129 of 193+17%
170WainwrightT6,99710.3%32 of 91-31%
171CoalhurstT3,24410.3%54 of 106-24%
172Wetaskiwin No. 10, County ofD11,21710.4%33 of 91-30%
173InnisfailT8,73610.4%34 of 91-30%
174RycroftD62910.4%131 of 193+25%
175ForemostD41310.8%132 of 193+30%
176CoronationT88511.1%133 of 193+33%
177Fort SaskatchewanD30,57511.3%17 of 48-25%
178BruderheimT1,43911.3%134 of 193+35%
179Foothills CountyD25,77911.6%18 of 48-23%
180GirouxvilleD31111.8%135 of 193+41%
181WhitecourtT10,71111.8%37 of 91-21%
182Strathcona CountyD107,34511.8%9 of 22-11%
183MagrathT2,56612.0%57 of 106-12%
184St. Paul County No. 19D6,46212.2%38 of 91-18%
185Hay LakesD43012.3%137 of 193+47%
186StettlerT6,03512.4%39 of 91-17%
187High RiverT15,51812.4%21 of 48-17%
188BentleyT1,15312.9%138 of 193+55%
189Parkland CountyD34,28613.0%23 of 48-13%
190Hines CreekD35513.2%139 of 193+58%
191ManningT1,15313.3%140 of 193+58%
192JasperD4,62713.3%59 of 106-3%
193Sturgeon CountyD21,03513.3%24 of 48-11%
194PenholdT3,81213.4%61 of 106-2%
195Brazeau CountyD7,68513.6%41 of 91-9%
196Mountain View CountyD14,77613.7%42 of 91-9%
197St. PaulT6,21813.9%43 of 91-7%
198CarolineD51314.1%143 of 193+69%
199StirlingD1,35014.2%144 of 193+70%
200MannvilleD82914.4%145 of 193+73%
201WetaskiwinD13,70314.5%45 of 91-3%
202AirdrieD92,54414.6%12 of 22+10%
203EdsonT8,69214.8%47 of 91-1%
204Cardston CountyD4,94814.9%63 of 106+9%
205RedcliffT5,91614.9%48 of 91-0%
206Woodlands CountyD4,77815.1%64 of 106+10%
207StandardD38415.2%148 of 193+82%
208EckvilleT1,08815.3%149 of 193+84%
209BlackfaldsT12,25815.6%50 of 91+4%
210CarmangayD29715.6%150 of 193+87%
211DrumhellerT8,43916.0%52 of 91+7%
212Northern Sunrise CountyD1,84816.1%68 of 106+18%
213OnowayT95716.4%152 of 193+96%
214Opportunity No. 17, M.d. ofD3,38216.4%70 of 106+20%
215AcmeD65116.6%153 of 193+98%
216RimbeyT2,50216.6%72 of 106+21%
217Lethbridge CountyD10,98816.7%55 of 91+12%
218Rocky View CountyD50,26017.4%14 of 22+31%
219LacombeD14,73317.4%57 of 91+17%
220CastorT87617.8%155 of 193+113%
221ForestburgD83317.9%156 of 193+114%
222DidsburyT5,18517.9%58 of 91+20%
223Slave LakeT7,33418.0%59 of 91+21%
224CarstairsT5,24818.3%60 of 91+23%
225SedgewickT79318.4%157 of 193+120%
226NampaD43018.5%158 of 193+121%
227Lac Ste. Anne CountyD12,63918.6%61 of 91+25%
228Rainbow LakeT42119.2%161 of 193+130%
229KillamT88719.3%162 of 193+131%
230Grande Prairie No. 1, County ofD26,70119.4%30 of 48+30%
231DayslandT90219.5%163 of 193+133%
232CamroseD20,80119.8%31 of 48+32%
233Red Deer CountyD22,07619.9%32 of 48+32%
234Sunbreaker CoveV13719.9%164 of 193+138%
235CalmarT2,34520.0%78 of 106+46%
236HoldenD38120.2%165 of 193+141%
237CochraneT39,39720.2%33 of 48+34%
238SundreT2,68320.3%79 of 106+49%
239VegrevilleT6,15320.3%62 of 91+36%
240BonnyvilleT7,36620.4%63 of 91+36%
241Stony PlainT19,66220.5%34 of 48+36%
242Drayton ValleyT8,04720.5%64 of 91+37%
243ClaresholmT4,24820.6%80 of 106+50%
244St. AlbertD74,73020.9%17 of 22+58%
245LongviewD30421.0%166 of 193+151%
246LethbridgeD113,67121.1%18 of 22+59%
247Camrose CountyD8,95121.2%65 of 91+42%
248Mackenzie CountyD14,48821.7%66 of 91+45%
249LloydminsterD21,29521.9%35 of 48+46%
250BeisekerD78721.9%168 of 193+162%
251BeaumontD26,30521.9%36 of 48+46%
252MorinvilleT10,76322.0%68 of 91+47%
253OyenT96122.0%169 of 193+163%
254CoaldaleT9,64422.0%69 of 91+47%
255CremonaD48622.1%170 of 193+164%
256Seba BeachV24422.1%171 of 193+164%
257SexsmithT2,56122.1%81 of 106+62%
258Grande PrairieD71,16022.2%19 of 22+67%
259Bon AccordT1,45722.5%172 of 193+170%
260Sylvan LakeT17,89722.6%38 of 48+51%
261LamontT1,85622.9%83 of 106+68%
262TaberT10,17523.5%71 of 91+58%
263WarnerD40023.6%174 of 193+183%
264VikingT96424.0%175 of 193+187%
265AthabascaT2,88724.5%87 of 106+79%
266DevonT6,96524.6%72 of 91+65%
267Crowsnest PassD6,01124.6%74 of 91+65%
268Northern Lights CountyD4,11525.4%88 of 106+85%
269Leduc CountyD16,40025.5%42 of 48+70%
270CanmoreT17,34125.7%43 of 48+71%
271Medicine HatD68,71425.8%21 of 22+95%
272Spruce GroveD44,57525.8%44 of 48+72%
273LeducD39,96626.0%45 of 48+73%
274TofieldT2,12226.1%89 of 106+91%
275Bow IslandT2,31026.1%91 of 106+91%
276StrathmoreT16,41626.3%46 of 48+75%
277RedwaterT2,30126.3%92 of 106+92%
278WestlockT5,36326.8%79 of 91+80%
279RockyfordD42126.8%176 of 193+221%
280MundareT87527.3%177 of 193+227%
281VulcanT1,92227.5%94 of 106+101%
282BoyleD85927.8%178 of 193+232%
283MarwayneD54728.7%179 of 193+244%
284DeliaD14528.7%180 of 193+244%
285Red DeerD115,40928.8%22 of 22+118%
286OldsT9,67929.0%83 of 91+94%
287CrossfieldT4,07529.2%96 of 106+113%
288RyleyD48629.2%181 of 193+249%
289Fort MacleodT3,94529.4%97 of 106+115%
290Westlock CountyD7,55629.6%85 of 91+98%
291Two HillsT1,69829.8%98 of 106+118%
292Cold LakeD17,81530.2%48 of 48+102%
293ChipmanD28630.6%182 of 193+266%
294VermilionT4,19230.8%99 of 106+125%
295BeaverlodgeT2,45431.5%101 of 106+130%
296Peace RiverT7,22031.8%86 of 91+113%
297AllianceD15831.8%183 of 193+280%
298MayerthorpeT1,41332.0%184 of 193+283%
299Stettler No. 6, County ofD5,66632.3%87 of 91+117%
300PonokaT8,21232.4%88 of 91+117%
301ConsortD70732.6%185 of 193+290%
302EdmontonD1,238,29532.7%9 of 10+120%
303Elk PointT1,48133.2%186 of 193+297%
304AlixD87733.4%187 of 193+299%
305ThorsbyT92833.5%188 of 193+301%
306DelburneD94934.0%189 of 193+307%
307Fox CreekT2,01335.1%102 of 106+157%
308Lac la Biche CountyD8,58035.3%90 of 91+137%
309RaymondT4,60038.0%103 of 106+178%
310Nakamun ParkV8042.9%191 of 193+413%
311Rocky Mountain HouseT8,14444.8%91 of 91+200%
312CalgaryD1,612,83454.1%10 of 10+264%
313GibbonsT3,35263.4%105 of 106+363%
314Ma-Me-O BeachV12576.5%193 of 193+815%