Red Deer asks public for input on budget [Video]

Ken Johnston, mayor of Red Deer, discusses the city’s public engagement to address the budget shortfall with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: Your council said to be staring down a budget shortfall between $17 and $19 million. How significant is that for a city the size of Red Deer?

Ken Johnston: It’s quite significant. Certainly in the 12 years that I’ve had in public service, this is the toughest budget that we’ve approached. At this point in time, it’s been what I would call a very exhaustive exercise this year, in terms of looking at all of our service levels, all of the public expectations and so on.

There’s still work to be done, and certainly no stone will be left unturned. In our view of this, we understand its impact, but still, Red Deer is certainly not alone. This is a tough time for municipalities, in many respects, and certainly the …