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Tax Information

Sign up for the TIPP Program

Tax Instalment Payment Plan (TIPP)

TIPP is a program that makes paying taxes easier. Prepay your taxes for the following year with 10 regular payments, plus one smaller final payment automatically debited from an account of your choosing. Participation in the TIPP means you won’t have to worry about late payment penalties, and you'll save a little by getting some interest* back.

Click Here to Download the TIPP Application

Here's how it works:

  • The tax payment deadline is June 30th of every year (Tax year is Jan 1 - Dec 31).
  • Beginning in August - 10 monthly payments of about 9.5% of your total tax amount are debited from your bank account on the 3rd day of the month (or next business day) this gets you about 95% fully paid by May.
  • Taxes are calculated in May, and notices are mailed showing what has been paid (including interest earned*), and a final amount that will be automatically debited at the end of June (June 30th or the last business day in June).
    NOTE: The final payment should always be smaller than your regular monthly payments. If for some reason a change to your assessment increases you taxes causing the final payment to be larger than your regular payments, you will be contacted about adjusting your regular monthly amount. Otherwise, your TIPP amount will remain unchanged, though your final payment may fluctuate year to year. 

*Council sets the TIPP interest rate every year, this interest is compounded and paid out monthly onto taxes, reducing your final payment amount. 

TIPP Interest Rate for 2025: 2%

Have questions? Call the Town office at 403-653-3366 and ask to talk about TIPP.

 

Property Assessments

Tax Assessments are public information and can be found in our GIS portal

About Property Assessments

Property assessments in Alberta are governed by the Municipal Government Act. Your notice of Assessment is based on the valuation and physical condition of your property as of December 31 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.

Property assessments are public information and can be viewed on our GIS portal:

Go to GIS Portal

Property Assessment Notice

You receive your annual Property Assessment Notice by the end of May each year. This bill covers the period from January 1st through December 31st of the current year. If you are not participating in the TIPP program, tax payment is due before June 30th. An 8% penalty will be applied to all outstanding taxes on July 1st, the day after payment is due. 

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 a specific date.

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 jurisdictions.

Tax Calculator

Search the GIS portal to find your address (see instructions under "Property Assessments) and get your total assessed value for your property, then use the Tax calculator to calculate your tax amount based on the assessed value.

Property Tax Calculator

Tax Bill Calculations

Municipalities levy taxes to help pay for services such as police, fire, parks, recreation, 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 is the amount to be collected through property taxes. For the current year, approximately $2 million is required from property taxes to support Town services.

To determine the amount of your property tax, the assessed value of your property is multiplied by the combined municipal, school, and Chinook Foundation Mill Rates for the year.

Sign up for the TIPP Program

If you would like an automatic way to pay your property tax, you can sign up for the TIPP program. Participation in the 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 3rd day of each month from August to May. If there was a change in your assessment, a final payment will be withdrawn on June 30 to arrive at the correct amount. The remaining amount to be taken on June 30th will be shown on your tax notice.

The TIPP Application form can be found here.

Paying Taxes Online

You can pay your taxes online through banks that offer online payment options. The process is simple. Use the six-digit “account number” shown on your assessment notice and pay the amount owing to TOWN OF CARDSTON TAXES or TOWN OF CARDSTON UTILITIES. Please make payment for only one property at a time. Please contact your banking institution for aid or information.