NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL 2022

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the said municipality, made under the provision of the Municipal Government Act, has been prepared and is now open for inspection at the office of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Municipality during business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Any person who desires to object to the entry of their name or that of any other person upon the said roll or to the assessed value placed upon any property must, within sixty (67) days from the date of this notice, lodge the complaint(s) on an approved Assessment Appeal form with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Municipality. An appeal fee of $30.00 must be paid at the time appeal is made. This appeal fee will be refunded if the assessment is altered by the Assessment Review Board. Assessment Appeal forms may be obtained at the Town Office located at 67 3rd Avenue West.

Dated this 20th day of May, 2022.

Jeff Shaw
Secretary-Treasurer

2022 Tax Information

Property Assessment Notices for the 2022 tax year will be mailed out at the end of the third week in May. This bill covers the period from January 1 through December 31, 2022. If you are not participating in the Tax Installment Prepayment Plan (TIPP), tax payment is due by June 30. An 8% penalty will be applied to all outstanding taxes after June 30.

Included with your notice:

• Your 2022 Property Assessment Notice
• 2022 Annual Report
• 2022 Garbage Schedule
• 2021-2025 Council Strategic Plan Information

Sign up for TIPP

If you would like an automatic way to pay your property tax, you can sign up for the TIPP program. Participation in TIPP means that you don’t have to worry about the payment deadline or late payment penalties. Your taxes are spread over the 10 months prior to the deadline, and the amount is withdrawn from your bank account automatically on the third day of each month from August to May. The Town pays interest on all TIPP accounts at a rate that is set annually by Council. It is designed to be competitive with current interest rates. When the changes in your assessment are known and the Mill Rates are set, a final payment will be withdrawn on the last business day in June to arrive at the correct amount. The final amount will be shown on your tax notice.

We’d like to give you some information about how the amount of taxes are calculated and how to pay. 

About Property Assessments

Property assessments in Alberta are governed by the Municipal Government Act. Your Notice of Assessment is based on the physical condition of your property as of December 31 of the previous year as well as the valuation of your property as of July 1 of the previous year. All assessed values are completed within these guidelines to ensure fairness and equity using mass appraisal techniques.

The purpose of assessment is not to reflect a single sale price, but to assess all properties at typical market value on the same valuation date so that taxation is fairly and uniformly shared. The Town of Cardston has contracted a qualified accredited assessor who performs this function based on provincial legislation and regulations.

How Market Value is Determined

Market value, as defined in the MGA, 1 (n), means “the amount that a property might be expected to realize if it is sold on the open market by a willing seller to a willing buyer.” Market value assessments are done using mass appraisal techniques, which determines property values by grouping similar properties as of July 1, of the previous year.

Some of the factors that determine the value of your home include style of house, square footage, lot size, basement finish, walkout, year of construction, overall quality, and location. Unique location influences like mountain and river views naturally lend themselves to an overall higher market value compared to other locations.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your property tax assessment, please call the Town Office.

Tax Bill Calculations

Municipalities levy taxes to help pay for services such as bylaw enforcement, fire, parks, recreation, library, and public works. Town Council reviews and approves the amount required to fund these services each year.

From this amount sources of revenue other than property taxes, such as provincial grants, license fees, and user fees, are subtracted. The balance after that is the amount to be collected through property taxes.

To determine the amount of your property tax, the assessed value of your property is multiplied by the combined Municipal, School, and Chinook Foundation (seniors care facility) Mill Rates for the year.

Paying Taxes Online

You can pay your taxes online through banks that offer online payment options. This is an easy process and we highly encourage you to investigate paying taxes this way, or through TIPP. To pay online, go to your bank’s online payment portal, use the six-digit “account number” shown on the top centre of your assessment notice, and pay the amount owing to TOWN OF CARDSTON TAXES or TOWN OF CARDSTON UTILITIES. Please pay for just one property at a time. You can contact your bank for more help or information.

Alternatively, you may pay online via e-transfer by sending money to pay@cardston.ca, or you may pay by credit card using the OptionPay service (fees apply).