Impound costs affected, pet licensing fees unchanged for 2026

Cold Lake City Council has given first reading to an amendment to the City’s Animal Care and Control Bylaw that would introduce small increases to animal impound fees starting in 2026.

The proposed changes follow direction set during the City’s 2026 budget deliberations, which included modest adjustments to select municipal fees and rates. Administration emphasized that the amendment applies only to costs associated with animal impoundment and does not affect annual pet licensing fees.

What is changing

The fees in question are only triggered when an animal is found at large and brought to the City’s Animal Care and Control Centre. Owners are responsible for both the intake fee and any daily care costs incurred while the animal is housed at the facility.

Under the proposed amendment:

• The animal intake fee would increase from $62 to $63

• The daily care fee would increase from $21 to $22 per day

Administration indicated the increases are intended to reflect inflation and rising operating costs.

Licensing fees unaffected

Annual pet licensing fees will remain unchanged for 2026. Administration confirmed that licensing notifications for the upcoming year have already been issued and no increase is being recommended at this time. While licensing fees could be reviewed in future years, they are not part of the current amendment.

Background and next steps

The Animal Care and Control Bylaw was originally adopted in August 2022 and has been amended several times to update fee structures. Council approved first reading of the amended bylaw, with additional readings required before the changes can take effect.