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The County of Lacombe approved a major fleet replacement program at its June 25 council meeting, authorizing the purchase of 16 new pieces of equipment for the 2027 construction and maintenance season.

Council authorized the County Manager to tender and award the purchases at an estimated cost of $10,009,900. Existing equipment will be traded in or sold through private sale, with an estimated return of $2,171,840. The remaining $7,837,160 will be funded from the County's Fleet and Equipment Reserve.

County administration brought the request forward earlier than in previous years because of extended delivery times for heavy equipment, which are expected to range from seven to eight months. Ordering equipment well in advance is intended to help ensure new units arrive before spring construction and maintenance work begins in 2027 and provide time for any required modifications before they enter service.

Staff conduct an annual review of the County's equipment fleet to determine which units should be replaced based on age, condition and expected service life. For 2027, 24 pieces of equipment were evaluated. While 16 were approved for replacement, eight units were deferred after staff determined they remain serviceable. Those units will be reassessed as part of the 2028 capital equipment plan.

Administration noted that most of the equipment approved for replacement will be out of warranty by 2027. The proposed purchases had already been accounted for in the County's long-term Fleet and Equipment Reserve, which is projected to have a balance of approximately $25.1 million by the end of 2026.

The Municipal Government Act requires municipal expenditures to be approved through an operating or capital budget or otherwise authorized by council. County policy also requires administration to maintain a long-term replacement plan for vehicles and capital equipment.

Equipment purchases will be publicly tendered, while any units not traded in will be sold through a public sales process.