Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky. (Image Credit: Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Budget 2026

Prince Albert leaders welcome budget increases for revenue sharing, policing

Mar 19, 2026 | 1:32 PM

Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky said he was happy to leave Regina on budget day knowing the city will get an increase of $750,000 in funding from the province.  

Where the extra money will go is undetermined as yet, but administration will get the job of finding priority areas before bringing a decision to the council table. 

“That’s really a discussion that will start with administration,” Powalinsky said. “There’s going to have to be some direction, some decision as to where (it goes).” 

With the increase, Prince Albert will receive just over $10 million through the Municipal Revenue Sharing Agreement funding.

Prince Albert – Northcote MLA Alana Ross said the city is the recipient of a large amount of provincial dollars in multiple areas in this budget.

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“I think when you look at what we’re getting in Prince Albert, it is very positive. The Victoria Hospital alone is a billion-dollar investment in our city that’s going to bring jobs, that’s going to bring professionals to our community and the surrounding area, and it’s going to provide premium healthcare services to the people of Prince Albert and the surrounding area,” she said.  

An Urgent Care Centre is also planned, and years ago the province announced plans for a new Francophone school in Prince Albert to replace École Valois.

Powalinsky said investment in those areas is appreciated.  

“The really good news of course is that we’re on the list for an Urgent Care Centre and our Complex Needs Centre should be opening soon,” he said. 

While the boost to city coffers is welcome, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) pointed out more support is needed since all city budgets are already stretched thin.  

“Municipalities provide over 60 per cent of public infrastructure in Canada and many of the services we rely on—from water and waste treatment to ice rinks and recreation centres. The costs for delivering these services continue to go up while municipalities have limited options for municipal revenue streams,” said SUMA President Randy Goulden. 

The association said for urban municipalities to meet the needs of their residents and those in surrounding regions, they need more equitable distribution of funding for municipalities.

In a press release SUMA said, “With this year’s announcement regarding the changes to the set capital portion of the Communities in Transition fund – bringing the fund up to $1.5 million, to be taken off MRS – this issue is clearly highlighted. Cities and northern municipalities will be providing a combined 55.3 per cent of the funding, despite never making use of the program. In contrast, rural municipalities, who are the only municipalities to see direct benefits outside of strategic initiatives, will be required to provide only 28.5 per cent of funding.”

SUMA also pointed to the disparity in potash tax sharing in which rural municipalities currently receiving 90 per cent of the levies, with the urban splitting the remaining 10 per cent. It also wants the government to require recreational infrastructure funding agreements between rural and urban municipalities who share facilities.

When Prince Albert began its 2026 budget deliberations last November, the finance department prepared it with a $4.4 million increase. While council did eliminate $1.2 million from the increase, they kept in most of the Prince Albert Police Service’s requested increase.  Policing makes up the largest chunk of spending for the city.

The latest budget provides police grants of $37.6 million to communities, an increase of $8.6 million. Of that, $6 million will support Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) including the commitment to hire approximately 100 new municipal officers across the province.

Prince Albert Police Chief Patrick Nogier, who leads the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, welcomed the provincial funding.

“The additional funding for officers, community-based initiatives, and public safety infrastructure is a positive step, particularly for rural and growing communities facing increased demand. At the same time, we will need to carefully assess how these investments translate into sustained, long-term support for municipal police services to ensure they can meet evolving public safety challenges effectively,” he said.  

Other budget highlights impacting Prince Albert include the Ministry of Highways putting $44 million into projects like the twinning of Highway 2 north of Prince Albert.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com