Taxation & Assessment

How Taxes are Collected

The Town of Hardisty issues an annual combined Property Tax and Assessment Notice to all property owners in May of each year. This notice contains the tax levies for Municipal, Education, and Seniors Housing. The School Tax levy is collected on behalf of the province and is based on the Towns equalized assessment. Your tax notice should arrive in your mailbox or via email (if requested) the first week in June. Property taxes are due June 30th of each year. However, for 2020 Property Taxes are due December 1st due to the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Guide to Property Assessments and Taxation in in Alberta

Education Property Tax - Facts and Information

Assessment Practices

Market value assessment has been recognized around the world since the 1970s. It is considered to be the most fair and transparent manner to distribute property taxes.

The market value of residential properties is calculated through a method known as mass appraisal.

Your property assessment notice indicates the Town’s estimate of your property’s market value—the amount it would have sold for in the open market—on July 1 of the previous year. And, it is adjusted for any changes in physical condition recorded by December 31. Provincial legislation establishes these dates and requires that property assessed values be estimated every year.

To ensure assessed values are fair and accurate, they are reviewed at three levels:

  • The Alberta government's annual assessment audit process and
  • Towns Internal Review
  • Individual property owners’ review of their notice.

Those with concerns regarding assessment are encouraged to contact the Town’s assessor first.

Appeal Process

Review your Property Tax and Assessment Notice for your complaint date. After having discussed your concern about your property’s assessed value with our Assessor and you still feel that you have been unfairly assessed you can file a complaint with our Intermunicipal Assessment Review Board. You may contact our Clerk as follows for you to gain more information on how to file your complaint.

Town of Hardisty
Intermunicipal Assessment Review Board
P.O. Box 10
Hardisty, AB T0B 1V0
Ph: (780)-888-3623

Filing a property assessment complaint and preparing for your hearing

ARB Complaint Form

Mill Rates

The Town of Hardisty Council sets a budget every year. The budget outlines the anticipated revenues and Expenditures for operating the municipal corporation for that year. The Municipal government Act stipulates that a council must adopt an annual operating and capital budget. These budgets must include an estimate amount for the following:

  • the amount needed to provide for council’s policies and programs,
  • debt obligations, requisitions from other government
  • bodies or enactments, depreciation, reserve transfers and capital expenditure.

Once Council adopts the Operating and Capital budget for that year, they must pass a Property Tax Bylaw to generate the revenue to support the budget. In the Property Tax Bylaw for that year Council will set the mill rate required to meet the municipal requirements for that year.

 Tax Rate Bylaw

Payments and Penalties

Payment Options

Monthly Tax Payments - Town of Hardisty offers a pre-authorized payment plan that allows property owners to pay their property taxes to the Town in monthly instalments from January to December each year. The deadline for enrollment is June each year. Payments are automatically withdrawn from your bank account on the 28th of each month. Your most recent annual tax levy is divided by 12 to establish a monthly payment amount. Payment amounts will be adjusted in July to compensate for changes in taxes resulting from the annual tax levy. Payments begin July 28th of the current year and continue for 12 consecutive months. You may withdraw from the plan by giving notice in writing a minimum of 10 business days preceding the next payment date. If your property is sold, title transferred or you have a change in bank account information, it is the responsibility of the participant to inform the Tax Department in writing. We require the notice of change a minimum of 10 business days prior to the next withdrawal.

Senior property tax deferral program - In 2013, the Alberta Government introduced a Seniors Property Tax Deferral program, which provides eligible seniors with financial support to pay their property tax bill. This voluntary program will allow seniors to defer their residential property taxes through a low-interest home equity loan with the Alberta Government. For more information, click the following box.

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Late Payment Penalty: There are two important dates to remember when it comes to tax penalties. 2021 taxes are due October 1, 2021. A 3% penalty will be added October 2, and a 10% penalty will be added January 1, 2022.

Tax Penalty Bylaw

Questions?

For specific assessment information please contact the Town of Hardisty Assessor:

Wainwright Assessment Group Ltd.
604-10th Street
Wainwright, AB T9W 1E2
Ph: 780-842-5002 Larry James, AMAA
Assessor Email