Property Taxes

Where do my tax dollars go?

Your tax dollars go towards funding a variety of crucial services that our community relies on, from roads and infrastructure, to parks, recreation, agriculture, and more.

The finalized 2026 municipal budget confirmed a low residential tax rate increase of just 0.8% and a nonresidential increase of just 2.75%, while maintaining high quality core services and investing in long-term priorities for our growing community. Further, of the 0.8% residential tax rate increase, only 0.09% is related to municipal costs. The bulk of the increase – 0.71% – is related directly to increases in the Provincial Government’s Policing Funding Model for RCMP services.

Despite facing inflationary challenges and increased cost-shifting from the provincial to the municipal level, Parkland County’s minimal property tax increase is amongst the lowest in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. For a typical home assessed at $500,000, the estimated change is about $1.50 per month, helping ease cost of living pressures while safeguarding core services, programs, and infrastructure.

The example receipt below breaks down exactly how your tax dollars are divided up to fund County services, and more.

DID YOU KNOW?
Not everything on your tax bill goes to the County!

It’s true! Your property tax bill also includes taxes that the County is required to collect on behalf of the Provincial Government for education and policing services, as well as on behalf of seniors’ living facilities such as Merdian Housing Foundation and Evergreen Foundations.

The amounts you pay for these services are not set by the County, and the County does not receive the funds collected for these purposes. To see just how much of your tax bill goes to Provincial and other requisitions, check out the items listed under “Requisitions & Other’ on the tax receipt above.

Municipal Taxes

The Tax Rate Bylaw sets property tax rates for property owners. Property taxes are determined by multiplying individual property assessment values by the tax rates. Council sets the tax rate based on the required revenue needed to pay for County services. Individual assessments and taxes usually change each year due to the requirements of the annual budget and year-to-year changes to property values.

Parkland County's 2026 municipal budget delivered a low residential tax rate increase of just 0.8% - one of the lowest rate increases in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region - and a nonresidential increase of just 2.75%.

Further, of the 0.8% residential tax rate increase, only 0.09% is related to municipal costs. The bulk of the increase – 0.71% – is related directly to increases in the Provincial Government’s Policing Funding Model for RCMP services.

Provincial Education Taxes

Provincial Government legislation requires that education receives funding through property taxes, and all property owners are required to contribute whether or not they have children attending school. The Government of Alberta sets the required contribution amounts for taxpayers, and the County has no control over or input over this rate.Further, the County has no jurisdiction or control over school board budgets or operations.

Over the past two years, Parkland County’s provincially mandated share of education costs has increased significantly, resulting in a cumulative impact of $7.6 million, comprised of a $3.5 million (11.36%) increase in 2025 and a further $4.1 million (11.99%) in 2026. These increases will be reflected on your property tax bill.

For information on education taxes, read the Education Property Tax brochure.

Property owners in areas with a separate school district can file a School Support Declaration to declare their Roman Catholic faith. Failure to return this notice results in the property being assessed as public, and education property taxes are then directed to the Alberta School Foundation Fund. Regardless of declaration, all funds are redistributed on an equal per-student amount to the public and separate school boards.

If you wish to change your school support designation, a new School Support Declaration form must be completed and sent to the Tax Department by mail, fax or email. The change does not take effect until the following calendar year.

Why do I pay school taxes if I don't have any children in school?

Canada has a strong education system and the costs of education are the responsibility of society. If you were educated in Canada, the cost of your education was largely paid for by the previous generation of taxpayers.

Policing Services (Including RCMP)

As part of the Government of Alberta’s Police Funding Model, the County must collect contributions on behalf of the government to fund policing services, including the RCMP. And, just like the education tax component, the amount to be collected is set by the provincial government with no control or input from the County.

Following changes to the province's funding model starting April 1, 2026, the municipal share will increase from 19% to 22% and will continue rising to 30% over five years. This increase, and subsequent years’ increases, will be reflected on your property tax bill. If passed, Bill 28 - Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act 2026 (which is currently before the Alberta Legislature) will allow us to itemize the policing costs as a separate line item on future property tax notices.

Seniors' Housing Requisitions

The City of Spruce Grove, Town of Stony Plain and Parkland County are all required to collect taxes for seniors’ living facilities. The funds collected are passed directly to seniors’ lodges, and all tax-payers are required to pay these amounts whether or not they use the service. In Parkland County, taxes are collected on behalf of the Meridian and Evergreen Foundations.