Assessment
The primary responsibility of the Assessment office is to determine the market value of every property in the Town of Redcliff so that an equitable distribution of taxation for public services is shared amongst all ratepayers. Assessment for the Town of Redcliff is contracted to Benchmark Assessments Consultants based out of Lethbridge, AB.
The Assessment Roll is a list of all properties along with their current assessment value as determined annually by our assessor. For your convenience, you may view the current Assessment Roll. This information has been modified to allow for posting on the website. For more detailed information on the assessment roll please contact the Town Office.
Supplementary Assessment
Supplementary assessment is an assessment on improvements added to land during the taxation year. The municipality must pass a bylaw to assess these improvements, and then may collect property taxes prorated for the portion of the current year that the improvement is completed, occupied or in operation in the municipality. Supplementary assessment notices must be sent to the assessed owner before the end of the calendar year.
Understanding your Assessment
The purpose of property tax assessment is to provide an accurate value of all properties within a municipality. Property values are reassessed every year. Market values are determined based on the valuation date of July 1 of the prior year and the condition of the property (including land & improvements) on December 31. Consideration is given for location, zoning, size, age, quality, condition & special features of your property. A change in your property value assessment could be a result of a change in the building’s depreciation, a change in the market value of land and/or buildings, a change of services abutting your property, or a physical change affecting your property.
Review your property information to make sure the description of your property is accurate. This is an important step. If you believe information about your property is not correct, arrange a meeting with the assessor. Discuss any problems that might affect your property’s value (for example, a major structural problem such as a cracked foundation). Find out if these problems were taken into account when your assessment was prepared. The assessor can re-inspect your property and correct the information if necessary. If the assessor agrees that the original assessment notice is not accurate, a new assessment notice can be issued.
No. Tax rates are based on budget requirements and the total assessed property values.
Call or visit Town Hall prior to the complaint date on your Combined Assessment and Property Tax Notice and file an assessment complaint.
We encourage everyone to speak to our assessor before filing a complaint. Assessors are able to give you an explanation and review your comparables with you and may possibly make a change in the assessment without filing a complaint.
To file an appeal or complaint with the Assessment Review Board you must complete and submit an Assessment Review Board Complaint form and submit it to:
Clerk, Assessment Review Board
Town of Redcliff
#1 – 3rd St. NE, Box 40
Redcliff, AB, T0J 2P0
The filing of a complaint does not extend the tax payment deadline nor waive the addition of penalties to unpaid taxes.
Complaints must be received by the Clerk on or before the deadline date for complaints as shown on the front of your Combined Assessment and Property Tax Notice. Copies of the Assessment Review Board Complaint Form, as well as the Agent Authorization form (if required), are available at Town Hall during regular business hours. You or your agent must ensure that the appropriate form is completed and fees are paid to the Clerk of the Assessment Review Board. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
| Property Compliant Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential Land with 3 or fewer dwelling units | $30.00 |
| Farmland | $30.00 |
| Less than $500,000 | $100.00 |
| Greater than $500,000 but less than $5,000,000 | $200.00 |
| Greater than $5,000,000 but less than $10,000,000 | $300.00 |
| Greater than $10,00,000 | $500.00 |
Property Taxes
A tax rate is the rate of taxation applied against the value of property within a municipality to collect the revenue required by the various taxation authorities. Normally, the tax rate is expressed in “mills” (dollars in tax paid per thousand dollars of property value) or sometimes as a percentage of the property’s value. Tax rates cannot be appealed as they are based on budget requirements and the total assessed property value located within the Town.
Each year, Town Council identifies and reviews how much revenue is required to pay for municipal programs and services that are necessary to maintain and enhance the Town of Redcliff’s essential services and standard of living. One of the revenue sources for any municipality in Canada is property taxes.
To ensure that all Town of Redcliff’s property owners pay their fair share of property taxes, the Town follows the guidelines established by the provincial government and uses a property assessment process.
By legislation, the Town collects only enough taxes to support its programs and services—it cannot collect more and it cannot collect less.
Ultimately, by paying your share of property taxes, you contribute to the financial stability of our community and supporting services such as:
- Police and fire protection
- Road maintenance and snow clearing
- Parks and swimming pools
- Neighbourhood infrastructure
The Town is legislated to collect and remit a fixed Education Tax amount from its property owners on behalf of the Province of Alberta.
The Cypress View Foundation determines the annual requisition requirement from the City of Medicine Hat, Cypress County, and the Town of Redcliff. The Levy is used to fund accommodations and operations for seniors at the Cypress View Foundation.
The Town is regulated to collect and remit a fixed DI Property Tax Amount from its DI property owners on behalf of the Province of Alberta.
Designated Industrial Property Tax Rate – 0.0766
Key Tax Dates
January 1 – 10% penalty applied on the total outstanding amount.
March 30 – Arrears list completed.
Mid to end of May – Tax Rate Bylaw set and Combined Assessment and Tax Notices are mailed out.
June 30 – Taxes are due in full.
July 1 – 5% penalty applied to unpaid current levy.
Bylaw 1832/2016 details penalties that apply to tax balances.
| Assessment Class | Residential | Non-Residential | Farm Land | M & E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal Rate | 5.1707 | 13.7377 | 41.4757 | 13.7377 |
| School Rate | 2.5209 | 3.7109 | 2.5209 | 0.0000 |
| Cypress View Foundation Rate | 0.1206 | 0.1206 | 0.1206 | 0.1206 |
| 7.8122 | 17.5692 | 44.1172 | 13.8583 |