Property Taxes Reimagined
The non-partisan association, Alberta Municipalities, which represents the province’s summer villages, villages, towns, cities, and specialized municipalities, has conducted considerable research around property taxes and community funding. They are sharing their findings through an information project called Property Taxes Reimagined. It explains what is happening and raises questions about whether Alberta needs to change how local services are funded.
Over the past 15 years, the Alberta government has been giving less money to municipal governments, while also asking them to do more. In 2009, municipalities got about $635 per person from the Alberta government. By 2023, that dropped to $327 per person, after inflation.
Every municipal government has to balance their budget, so when we get less money from the provincial or federal government, or when we have to take on new costs and deal with inflation, your council has 2 choices:
- Cut back on services like fixing roads or running programs, or
- Find money somewhere else, usually by raising municipal property taxes.
We encourage you to click on and review the sections below and engage with the supporting information to become fully informed on the challenges facing Alberta’s municipal governments.
Resources
In the February Village Voice, we included an information document about property taxes in Delburne.
Property Taxes Reimagined - Delburne
Alberta Municipalities has created information documents about property taxes.
Stacking Up the Bills: The Snowballing Burden on Property Taxes
Provincial Property Tax: The Misunderstood Tax
Handing the Bill to Local Governments
Inflation: The Hidden Cost Driving Up Property Taxes
To Cut or Tax: The Fight to Balance the Budget
Where You Pay Your Taxes
Videos
Alberta Municipalities has created videos explaining property taxes. Click the links below to view:
Cumulative Effects Impacting Municipal Budgets
Provincial Funding & Your Municipalty's Budget
Municipal Budget Restrictions, Cost Savings, & Your Property Taxes
Inflation Affects Local Government Budgets & Your Property Taxes
For more information about Alberta Municipalities Property Taxes Reimagined initiative, please visit: