Taxation
What is property assessment?
Your property assessment is a valuation of your property, prior to the current tax year. For example, 2022 taxes as levied by Clear Hills County are based on the valuation of your property in 2021.
Why do we have annual assessments?
The Municipal Government Act legislates and requires that all property in Alberta be assessed each year. Annual assessments ensure that changes in the marketplace are captured annually, protecting taxpayers from large market fluctuations from year to year. Property assessments are used to distribute taxes in a fair and equitable way. This means that owners of property with similar market values will pay similar amounts of property taxes.
What are property inspections?
All newly constructed properties are inspected, which allows the assessor to collect key details that are used as part of the Alberta’s mass appraisal system. The mass appraisal system categorizes properties into groups of comparable properties and determines their value using common data, mathematical models, and statistical tests that allow assessors to accurately value a large number of properties in a short period of time.
Existing properties are reviewed from time to time using an on-site inspection or digital mapping where the assessor will review and verify the physical details of the property. This process is necessary to ensure that information used in the property’s assessment remains accurate.
The Municipal Government Act provides an assessor with the authority to enter and inspect the interior and exterior of property and request any documents to assist in preparing the assessment. In carrying out these duties, the assessor must provide reasonable notice of an inspection, conduct the inspection at a reasonable time and produce identification.
How are my property taxes calculated?
Property taxes are based on the following formula:
Assessed Property Value X Property Tax Mill Rate ÷1000 = Taxes
How can I change my address on my assessment and tax notice?
Clear Hills County can not change the mailing information on any titled land without receiving the change from Alberta Land Titles. If you need to change the mailing address to receive your Combined Assessment and Tax Notices somewhere else, please call the Land Titles office at 780-427-2742.
What happens if I don’t pay my taxes?
If taxes are unpaid, or not paid in full, by the deadline date stated on the Combined Assessment and Tax Notice (mid-July annually) a 6% penalty is applied to the account. If taxes remain outstanding after December 31, a further 6% penalty is applied. Penalties will be added each year following as long as the taxes remain unpaid. Taxes outstanding for three (3) years will result in a Tax Notification being issued with Land Titles on that property and the land going up for tax sale; note that a tax payment must be applied first to tax arrears.
Example:
Taxes applied to a property in 2022 and remain in arrears (unpaid) in 2024 will have a Tax Notification issued and the property will be subject to tax sale any time from April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.