Calgary HOA budgets: operations, mortgages and reserves

The records used in this guide

The examples cover different reporting periods and document types. They are not a ranking of associations.

Ask where the assessment goes

A household fee is only one part of an association's finances. Request its budget, recent financial statements, debt information and capital plan together. Operating costs, loan principal and reserve transfers answer different questions, so comparing only the annual fee can hide meaningful differences.

• Confirm the fiscal year and whether each figure is a forecast or an actual result.
• Separate loan principal from interest expense.
• Distinguish money added to reserves from spending out of reserves.
• Read the notes and audit opinion before drawing conclusions about future assessments.

Discovery Ridge: audited results for 2025

NDHA's statements report revenue of $592,719 and expenses of $509,826 for 2025. The $82,893 excess increased net assets to $702,708. The City grant was $46,940. The audit does not assess reserve adequacy; a positive balance alone does not establish that future replacement work is fully funded.

Auburn Bay: debt and reserves in the 2026–27 budget

ABRA forecasts $4,275,908 in revenue and $3,754,838 in operating expenses. It separately budgets $338,492 of Auburn House mortgage principal, $61,708 of interest and a $100,000 reserve contribution, leaving a projected $20,870 surplus. The document reports $1,030,115 of mortgage principal outstanding at March 31, 2026. These are association-level budget disclosures, not an extra bill for every household.

Cranston: reserve contributions and reserve projects

Cranston's 2026–27 budget lists $1,870,074 of operating expenses, $307,181 of mortgage principal, $155,791 of interest and a $300,000 reserve contribution. It also identifies $760,000 of reserve projects, including facility air conditioning and the start of splash-park renovation. A reserve contribution and reserve-funded work are separate flows; do not combine them into a household fee estimate.

Turn the numbers into useful questions

Ask the association to explain planned capital work, the expected funding source, the reserve study date, debt renewal terms and any approved assessment changes. A published budget cannot establish the balance owing on a particular title.

• Which projects have been approved, and how will they be funded?
• Have actual costs diverged from the budget?
• Are there approved fee changes or special assessments?
• What does the latest reserve study say about upcoming replacements?
• What is the property's written account balance at closing?