Sharing With the Neighbours

In a recent conversation, the question was asked whether folks from outside the city contributed to the costs of our recreational facilities. As with so many “public services” the answer was yes and no. So, a bit of research was in order.

Obviously, recreational facilities in the City of Lloydminster are used not only by local residents, but also by people from surrounding communities. The way these out-of-town users pay for access is straightforward and reflects the City’s broader approach to recreation funding: everyone pays the same posted rates, while targeted subsidies are reserved for Lloydminster residents.

At Lloydminster’s major recreation facilities—such as the Servus Sports Centre, the Bioclean Aquatic Centre, arenas, and other City-operated venues—users from outside the city pay standard admission or membership fees. These fees are established through the City’s Fees and Charges Bylaw and apply universally, regardless of where a person lives. Daily drop-in passes, punch passes, and monthly or annual memberships are all priced at the same rates for residents and non-residents alike. There is no automatic “non-resident surcharge” added simply because someone lives outside city limits.

This approach means that out-of-town users contribute directly to the operating costs of Lloydminster’s recreation facilities through their admission and membership fees. These revenues help offset expenses such as staffing, utilities, maintenance, and programming. In effect, non-residents pay for their use at the point of service, rather than through municipal taxes.

Where a distinction does exist is in the area of subsidized access. The City of Lloydminster offers a Recreation Access Program (RAP) designed to reduce financial barriers for low-income residents. Through RAP, eligible Lloydminster residents can receive significantly reduced drop-in rates and discounts on memberships. However, this program is explicitly limited to people who live within the city. Users from outside Lloydminster do not qualify for RAP and therefore pay the full posted rates.

Program registration follows a similar model. Out-of-town users can register for classes, camps, and activities through the City’s recreation system in the same way as residents; paying the listed program fees. While some programs may prioritize residents if space is limited, the pricing itself is generally not differentiated by residency.

In summary, recreational facility users from outside the City of Lloydminster pay for their use in a simple and transparent way: they pay the same admission, membership, and program fees as residents, without additional surcharges, but without access to resident-only subsidy programs. This system balances openness and regional access with a recognition that municipal tax-supported discounts are intended primarily for Lloydminster residents.

Some might question whether this system is fair given the ever-increasing costs of these facilities. Are taxpayers subsidizing the users from outside the city? The answer to that question depends entirely on how you view the purpose of those facilities. Cost-of-use is already built into the “user pay” structure in place now. City residents can already access s preferred rate structure for their facility access. If you want to extend the question further; what about the taxpayers who never, ever use the facilities? Is it fair for them to have a portion of their taxes going to support those facilities that they never use?

This really is one of those instances where the comment that we should run the city purely like a business comes into focus. If we did that, there would never be a business case that could justify building and operating a recreation facility, period! This entire issue is about “Quality of Life” as a resident of this city, and the price we are prepared to pay to have that at our disposal. The simple fact is, once a facility is built, it is there, used or not. Utilizing a user-pay principle means that everyone who uses it contributes, including the folks from outside the city who also buy groceries, fuel, clothing and all sorts of other stuff when they come to town. Would that money be spent if there was no facility to come to? Quality of life!