Edmonton city council has approved an 8.9% property tax increase.

The hike covers commercial and residential properties. Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the increase, which was higher than the 6.6% boost initially approved in the fall of 2023, CTV reported.

“We are not permitted by law to budget for a deficit, and to reject this latest increase and go back to the 6.6% from the fall would have created that deficit,” Coun. Tim Cartmell told CTV. “We were pretty much sucked in and having to support this for now, but not forever.”

Cartmell and numerous other councillors appeared reluctant to support the city’s spring operating budget, despite passing it unanimously, according to CTV.

“If we were focused on our political careers, we should just say no, but I don’t know how we say no,” Coun. Andrew Knack told CTV. “Even with this increase, we are not keeping up with the sheer volume of people who have moved in, so this is a pretty massive challenge.”

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told CTV that the increased property tax revenue will help the city pay for more services, including the new Metro Line to the NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) increased bus service, and a bigger homeless camp response.