Infrastructure

Last Updated: November 7, 2025

The Town of Vermilion has announced that its portion of funding toward completion of the Vermilion Broadband Initiative was completed without borrowing or taking on debt, exhibiting fiscal responsibility and safeguarding the Town’s financial sustainability.

The update comes in an effort to provide residents with clear information about how the municipal broadband project was funded, and to explain upcoming bylaw housekeeping that ensures our financial records accurately reflect the Town’s fiscal position. This is part of a broader initiative being taken on by Administration, and supported by Council, to identify opportunities associated with financial reporting and communications to increase public transparency and accountability.

What’s Happening

The Town’s broadband project was successfully completed and paid for through grants and general taxation funds over a three-year span, without taking on long-term debt. The Town is now updating its bylaws to reflect that no debenture was required to fund the Town’s contribution, despite Council approval for borrowing, if it had been required. The Town is working to implement streamlined processes that ensure clear financial communications moving forward, eliminating potential confusion as the project continues to progress.

Timeline

2022: Council authorized Administration to borrow up to $2.4M for the broadband project, as a precautionary measure.

2019–2023: Administration secures Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) provincial grant funding to support project execution, and covers the remaining cost through general taxation funds over a three-year span.

$1.6M payment to Alberta Broadband from the Town of Vermilion on September 5, 2023

$0.8M payment to Alberta Broadband from the Town of Vermilion on December 19, 2023

Of the Town's $2.4M contribution, $691,882 was funded by the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI). More specifically, in accordance with the Town's Statement of Funding and Expenditures (SFE) submitted to Municipal Affairs:

$214,861 was applied in 2019

$130,867 was applied in 2020

$195,137 was applied in 2021

$151,017 was applied in 2022

Result: The Town’s contribution to the Vermilion Broadband Initiative was funded using general taxation revenues. This means, the original debenture authorization was never acted upon and the Town has no further financial commitments towards the project. Council is now being asked to amend the initial debenture bylaw to close this funding commitment, without taking on the $2.4M long-term debt and associated interest costs.

What Now?

Administration is bringing forward a bylaw repeal to Council to formally close out the unused borrowing authorization. This ensures our legal documents accurately reflect that the project was paid for without incurring debt.

We’re also using this as an opportunity to implement enhanced financial tracking and communication processes, as part of our broader commitment to communicating transparently with the community and being accountable to our residents.

Q: Did the Town misuse taxpayer money?

No. Every dollar spent on the broadband project was properly authorized by Council, and accounted for in our financial records. The project was funded through legitimate grants, provided by other orders of government, combined with approved Town funds, over the course of three years to minimize impact on residents. Some confusion has been brought forward around which authorization method was ultimately used in funding the project, not about the spending itself. All expenditures were transparent and properly recorded.

It is worth noting that the Town has no further financial commitment to the maintenance, repair or replacement of the fiberoptic infrastructure in future years. All future expenses related to the broadband infrastructure lies with Alberta Broadband.

Q: Why didn’t Administration follow through with the borrowing the Council authorized?

As the broadband project evolved, Administration found more fiscally responsible ways to fund the Town's contributions of $2.4M to the over $10M project. By using grants and spreading costs over time through general taxation funds, we avoided taking on millions in long-term debt, and the associated interest costs. This was a better outcome for our community (and local ratepayers) as it means there is no debt servicing charges that would have impacted budgets for years to come.

Q: Why is this coming up now?

All project funding is complete, and the project itself is complete as well. However, the paperwork authorizing the original borrowing was never formally closed out, which is what we're working on now and why it's a topic of conversation again. In alignment with good governance, Administration is bringing forward a bylaw repeal to Council to formally close out the unused borrowing authorization. This ensures our legal documents accurately reflect that the project was paid for without incurring debt.

Q: Does this situation impact the Town’s financial standing?

No, not negatively at least. If anything, the Town's actual financial position is stronger than the bylaws currently suggest, because we didn't take on the debt that was initially authorized. Repealing the outdated debenture bylaw brings our legal documents in line with our actual positive financial situation. Our annual audited financial statements have always reflected that we did not borrow this project, and those independent statements inform our financial standing.

Q: What does the Town actually own for the investment made?

The Town is not the owner of the fiberoptic lines in the ground, which are the resulting tangible capital asset from the Alberta Broadband project. The Town knew and understood that we would not be the owner of the lines at the time we committed to the project. The Town's contribution of $2.4M to the over $10M project was for the benefit of the residents of our community.

This investment is similar to the Town's ongoing contributions to Lakeland College for the pool. The Town does not own the pool that is located within the College's recreation facility, but we do contribute to capital and operational costs because it is open to the public and our residents actively utilize and benefit from it.

Many municipalities partner with community groups, private companies, institutions, as the case may be, when there is a benefit to the residents, regardless of whether or not the municipality is the owner of the asset at the end.

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