Property Taxes & Assessment


Key DatesEvents
April 11, 2024Property Assessment Notices Mailed
May 22, 2024Annual Property Tax Notices Mailed
June 18, 2024Property Assessment Notice Complaint Due Date
September 17, 2024Payment Due - 8% penalty applied to outstanding balances
December 17, 20244% penalty applied to outstanding balances
April 11, 20254% penalty applied to outstanding balances


Starting in 2024, Property Assessment Notices are mailed separately from the annual Property Tax Notices.

Property Assessment Notices were mailed out April 11, 2024 to allow property owners time to review the assessed value and to address any concerns with a County assessor. Since you are not able to dispute your Property Tax Notice, it is important to carefully review your Property Assessment Notice before the June 18, 2024 complaint deadline.

Click here to view a reference guide for a sample of the new property assessment notices.

Property Taxes

The Government of Alberta has guidelines for property assessment to ensure that all property owners pay their fair share of property taxes. 

By legislation, Clearwater County collects only enough taxes to support its programs and services — it cannot collect more, and it cannot collect less.

Clearwater County distributes property tax notices in late May every year and asks property owners to pay their taxes in full by the September deadline to avoid late-payment penalties.  Non-receipt of your property tax bill does not exempt you from penalty due to late payment.

2024 Municipal Property Tax Rates 

On May 14, 2024, Clearwater County Council passed the 2024 Tax Rate Bylaw 1194/24, demonstrating a proactive approach to address inflationary pressures while maintaining a one percent tax rate increase across all assessment classes.

2024 Property Tax Notices will be mailed out before the end of May. All taxes are due upon receipt of tax notices, and penalties will apply if not paid before 4:30 pm on September 17, 2024. The next penalty dates are December 17, 2024 and April 11, 2025. Clearwater County also offers a Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) allowing taxpayers to pay property taxes on a monthly basis. This bylaw, for the third time, has a penalty date noted in April of the year following the levy. This was to encourage payment of unpaid taxes before the first penalty date in September.


Residential
     Municipal0.0027718
     Seniors0.0001489
     School0.0023635
Non-Residential (includes M&E)
     Municipal0.0083567
     Seniors0.0001489
     School0.0035725
Small Business
     Municipal0.0062676
     Seniors0.0001489
     School0.0035725
Farmland
     Municipal0.0045617
     Seniors0.0001489
     School0.0023635

How do property taxes work?

Property taxes are the primary means by which Canadian municipalities, and Clearwater County, in particular, pay for the building and maintenance of roads and bridges; controlling agricultural pests and weeds; the provision of fire, ambulance and emergency services; seniors lodging; waste management; water and sewer services; recreation facilities, parks and campgrounds; and countless other services provided on behalf of citizens. It should be noted that about half of the property taxes levied in Clearwater County are mandated and levied on behalf of the Alberta Government to fund local schools and schools in other parts of the province.

Clearwater County's assessors work diligently to value property as fairly as possible in relation to similar property and provincial regulations and guidelines.
 
Property taxes are a way of fairly distributing the cost of providing local government services among ratepayers and businesses that use them. Property tax is calculated and billed annually using the property's assessed value, as found on your property assessment notice, and the Council-approved property tax rate for your class of property in the appropriate region. Check the Property Tax Calculator to estimate breakdown of your property taxes.

Property Assessment Value ($)      x     Tax Rate (Class of Property)    =    Property Tax
                                                                                                                          
The property tax system has two parts:
  • Assessing the value of your property. (Completed by Clearwater County’s Assessment Department)
  • Setting the annual tax rate.  (Set annually by Council based upon the County’s budget as developed by the County’s Finance Department)
The Government of Alberta determines the criteria under which property assessment takes place. The criteria are dependent upon the type of property being assessed.

The municipal tax rate is set by Clearwater County Council annually. The overall tax rate is comprised of four different tax rates:
  • Municipal Tax: Set by Clearwater County Council, and is the only revenue generated by the municipality
  • School Tax: The provincial government establishes the Educational Tax Rate, where Clearwater County is required to collect the Education/School taxes on behalf of Alberta Education, but had no jurisdiction in setting this Tax Rate)
  • Seniors Foundation: Seniors tax is collected on behalf of Westview Lodge in Rocky Mountain House and the requisitioned amount is shared between Clearwater County, the Town of Rocky Mountain House and the Village of Caroline)
  • Uncollectible School: This is the amount of tax dollars that were not collected the previous year, but paid to Alberta Education


Change of Address Form

Need to update your records with a change of address? Please visit the Form & Application webpage to complete the Change of Address Form and return it to assessment@clearwatercounty.ca

Payment Options

Need to pay your property tax bill?  Clearwater County offers several payment options:

PaySimply: PaySimply is a convenient way to pay through a third party using your credit card. Processing fees apply. Please allow 3 business days for processing. For more information: www.paysimply.ca

Online Banking: Make payments online through your financial institution. Fees may apply. 

Electronic Funds Transfer: Payments can be made online with your financial institution using your financial software. Please contact us for more details and allow 2 to 3 business days for processing.

By mail: Cheques can be sent by mail to: 
Clearwater County
PO Box 550, 4340 – 47 Avenue

Rocky Mountain House, AB T4T 1A4

In-Person: You may also come in person during regular office hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) to pay by cash, cheque or debit (post-dated cheques are welcome). Reminder: if cheques are returned by the bank, taxes are considered unpaid.

Drop box: A drop box is located at the main Clearwater County office at 4340 – 47 Avenue, Rocky Mountain House.

*Please note that Clearwater County offers a Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) allowing taxpayers to pay property taxes on a monthly basis, for more information please visit the Tax Installment Payment Plan webpage (click here).

Tax Certificate Request

Tax certificates show a record of yearly tax amounts, payment information and any penalties or outstanding account balances for a property. A tax certificate is often requested during the sale or purchase of a property.

You can request a property tax certificate by submitting a payment of $20.00 and a completed Property Information Request Form via email to assessment@clearwatercounty.ca or mail to PO Box 550, 4340-47 Avenue, Rocky Mountain House, AB, T4T 1A4.

Please allow three (3) business days for processing.

Payment: $20.00 (GST exempt)

Section 299-300 Assessment Information Request

As a property owner, you are entitled to see or receive assessment information about your property. You may contact the Assessment Department at any time to receive specific information on how all land and improvements have been valued. If you feel that you require further information you may make an Information Request in accordance with sections 299 and 300 of the Municipal Government Act. To submit a request, please complete the applicable form listed at the bottom of this page.

Contact Us

Assessment Department
Phone: 403-845-4444

Forms

Frequently Asked Questions


There are several reasons why your assessment may have changed. If the values have changed in your area, the assessment will be adjusted to reflect the new market value of your property. Any physical changes to the property that would increase/decrease the market value will change the assessment. If your previous property assessment did not accurately reflect market value, an adjustment may have been made to correct this.

The total assessment and breakdown of land and improvements values is available to all property owners. The Assessment Department can provide this information at any time. Owner information is protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) and is available to the property owner only or an authorized representative.

First, please give our Assessment Department a call to discuss your concerns (403-845-4444). If valid evidence is presented, regarding the accuracy of assessment information, we will update the county records immediately. Quite often, disagreements are the result of not understanding the assessment process. Our staff is more than willing to answer any questions you may have and will make every effort to address your concerns. If, after the Assessment Department has explained your assessment and you still have unresolved concerns, you may file a complaint with the Regional Assessment Review Board. It must be filed within 60 days from the date your assessment notice was mailed. The final date for appeal is on your assessment notice.

Fees for Complaints are:

Residential/Farmland$50.00
NON-RESIDENTIAL
Assessed Value less than $500,000
$100.00
$500,000--$999,999
$300.00
$1,000,000--$4,999,999
$500.00
Over $5,000,000
$650.00

 

Assessment complaints must be accompanied by the assigned fee, or they will not be accepted. If an assessment complaint is successful, the complaint fee will be refunded.

Provincial legislation outlines how property assessment complaints must be made. Please contact the Regional Assessment Review Board for further information.

All assessments are based upon market value. An estimate of market value is determined by average sales prices with the municipality for similar properties using comparable sales. The assessment should reflect what the property would be valued as of July 1 year prior and any physical changes as of December 31 of that year.

To properly assess property, the Assessment department needs to collect accurate data. When an Assessor visits your property, he/she is simply collecting this data and classifying your property (property valuation is not done during inspections). Provincial legislation states the County must re-assess properties annually. It is suggested that 20% of the properties be re-inspected annually. Having an Assessor visit your property can be a good opportunity for you to confirm that the assessment data is correct. Assessors will be more than happy to review any questions or concerns you may have regarding the assessment information.

Yes, as per the Municipal Government Act. However, they must provide identification and a reason for the inspection. Allowing an Assessor on your property is a great chance to know what will be assessed and to update any physical changes since last inspection. If an Assessor is denied access, the Assessor will make an estimate on the assessment from outside the property, and the property owner may lose the right to appeal.