When are taxes sent out?
Each year at the end of June the Village sends a Combined Assessment and Property Tax Notice to property owners. The tax period covered is from January 1 to December 31 for the current year.
The Combined Assessment & Tax Notice is mailed to the address given by Alberta Land Titles. It is the taxpayer’s responsibility to ensure that the Village has the correct mailing address, and is updated through Alberta Land Titles.
What if My Mailing Address Changes?
All name and address changes that need to be made to your property tax roll must go through Land Titles before they can be processed by Administration.
If you wish to have your name or address changed on your property tax account, you have two options:
- Call the Government toll free number at 310-0000, extension 780-427-2742
- Go to the website https://www.alberta.ca/land-titles-overview.aspx and scroll down until you see the Change of Address and Name form, open the form and follow instructions provided.
Once Administration receives notification from Land Titles, the appropriate changes will be made. This will prevent your Combined Assessment and Tax Notice(s) from being returned to our office.
Penalties
To avoid penalty charges taxes must be paid by July 31st of each year, even if an assessment appeal is planned or the Combined Assessment and Property Tax Notice was not received.
- 14% penalty on unpaid taxes as of July 31st
- 14% penalty on unpaid taxes as of December 31st
How are Taxes Calculated?
The assessed value of a property is an estimate of the market value of the land and buildings in relation to similar properties. It is based on market conditions as of July 1st of the previous year and on the property’s physical condition and characteristics as of December 31st of the previous year. The purpose of property assessment is to distribute the property tax fairly among property owners within the municipality.
Property taxes are generated when the tax rate is applied to the assessed value of a property. The tax rate is composed of three parts:
Municipal Taxes
In its annual budget, Village Council approves a number of expenditures required to support services and programs. Revenue derived from other sources such as grants, license fees, and user fees are subtracted from this amount. The balance remaining is the amount that must be raised through property taxes.
Education Tax Requisition
Municipalities are required to collect education taxes on behalf of the Province of Alberta. The education tax rate is set once the Village receives the annual requisition from the Province.
North Peace Housing Requisition
The North Peace Housing Foundation tax rate is set once the Village receives the annual requisition from North Peace Housing Foundation.
When are properties assessed in the Village?
Every year the assessor does a visual inspection of 25% of the properties in the Village. So, this means every property in the Village is assessed about every 4 years. Any properties that have applied for a development permit are assessed in that same year. View assessment map here.
What should I do if I don’t agree with my assessment?
Compare Your Assessment to Similar Properties
The assessment roll, which shows all property values within the Village of Hines Creek is open for inspection during regular office hours at the Village Office.
Talk to the Assessor
Contact the Assessor from Reliance Assessment at (780)-450-2406 or email: randy.affolder@telus.net to discuss your property assessment.
File a Formal Appeal
If you are still certain that the assessment does not reflect what your property would likely sell for on the open market, you may file a written appeal to the Assessment Review Board. You have 60 days from the date after the assessment notice has been sent out to appeal your property assessment.
Each assessment in dispute requires a separate complaint form and a required fee. Section 460 of the Municipal Government Act and its regulations set out other requirements with which you must comply, including disclosure requirements. Please be advised that the Assessment Review Board will not hear any matters or reasons that are not clearly described on the complaint form.
Assessment Appeal Fees:
Residential/Farmland: $25.00/parcel
Commercial/Industrial: $100.00/parcel
To avoid penalty charges, you must pay your taxes by July 31th even if you plan to appeal your assessment.
Note: Under the Municipal Government Act, Section 460(6), “There is no right to make a complaint about any tax rate.” This means that you cannot appeal your taxes because you feel that they are too high. You may only appeal the assessment.
Payment Options:
Cash, Cheque or Debit Card at the Village Office – Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed holidays)
Drop-off Box – After office hours, you may drop your payment off in the drop-off box located at left side of the front entrance of the Village Office (please place payment in an envelope).
Mail – must be postmarked by Canada Post no later than the due date.
Internet Banking – available at most banks. Please note that when setting up your payment via internet banking, your customer id number/account number will be your tax roll number.
Telephone Banking – available at most banks.
E-Transfer – Please email accountspayable@hinescreek.com, and provide account name & account number.
PaySimply – The Village now accepts credit card payments through the PaySimply website, or app. To view payment options offered by PaySimply click here.
