City Council Approves 2019 Property Tax Rates

(Calgary) – Today, City Council approved the 2019 property tax bylaws that set the 2019 property tax rates. The City of Calgary collects property taxes from all property owners within the municipality to fund the range of services that Council approved and in the 2019 operating budget as well as the provincial property tax requisition.

“As we come through our fragile economic recovery, your City Council is making economic growth and stability a priority. We're working hard to strike the right balance to ensure high quality services for all Calgarians while maintaining some of the lowest taxes of any major city in Canada,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

For residential homeowners, Council approved a combined (municipal and provincial) 2019 property tax rate increase of 3.45 per cent. For the median residential property owner with a home valued at $475,000 this will mean an annual increase of $105 on the total tax bill.

To help non-residential property owners, Council approved a combined decrease of 3.07 per cent in the non-residential combined tax rate in 2019. Tax impacts on individual properties will vary depending on the specific assessment change from 2018 to 2019. This does not include the impacts of the Business Tax Consolidation (BTC). The BTC will increase non-residential property taxes, while decreasing business taxes by an equal amount.

Property taxes collected from residential properties have historically contributed 45 per cent of the total property tax revenue, while non-residential properties contribute 55 percent. Council’s decision today will result in a 47:53 split between residential and non-residential property owners.

This tax share solution will help support businesses and sustain long-term economic health for all Calgarians. Chief Financial Officer, Carla Male said, “City Administration will continue to work collectively to find cost savings, reductions and efficiencies to support economic recovery”. Council also recently endorsed the downtown strategy to support the health and vibrancy of downtown Calgary over the longer term.

Property tax bills will be mailed at the end of May and are due June 28.

Programs are available to help low income homeowners experiencing financial hardship. Through The City’s Property Tax Assistance Program, residential property owners of any age may be eligible for a credit/grant of the increase on their property tax account. Visit www.calgary.ca/FairEntry for more information or call 311. Seniors may also be eligible for provincial support. Visit www.seniors.gov.ab.ca or call 1-877-644-9992 for more information.

The City is committed to making life better every day, responding to the needs of Calgarians and demonstrating that we are a well-run City.

For more information visit calgary.ca/taxshift.

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