Your reading list

Many in Alberta will get tax cuts

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: May 4, 1995

CALGARY – A new system of collecting education property taxes in Alberta has just become law.

The departments of education and municipal affairs announced April 25 the basic uniform provincial rate has been set at 7.3 mills for 1995.

Reductions in tax will occur in 67 percent of Alberta municipalities representing 88 percent of the population. In Calgary, the tax reduction for an average property owner will be about $22 a year.

Boards concerned

This follows a 1994 decision that the province, rather than local school boards will collect education taxes. The uniform tax rate will be phased in over three years.

Read Also

cattle

Feeder market adds New World screwworm risk premium

Feedlots contemplate the probability of Canadian border closing to U.S. feeder cattle if parasite found in United States

Some rural school boards were concerned the move gave the province too much control over the local boards.

But education minister Halvar Jonson said funds will be allocated to school boards so that all boards receive a fair share of provincial education dollars.

The majority of tax increases or decreases for property owners are no more than 10 percent.

Increases of more than 10 percent over 1994 will include the following:

  • Improvement District No. 4 (Waterton Townsite) – 25 percent.
  • Municipal District of Acadia -18.1 percent.
  • M.D. of Bighorn – 25 percent.
  • M.D. of Cypress – 25 percent.
  • Fox Creek – 18.91 percent.
  • Oyen – 12.70 percent.
  • Rimbey – 14.25 percent.
  • Swan Hills – 25 percent.
  • Valleyview – 13.41 percent.

By 1997, taxpayers will be spending $2.84 billion on education.

About the author

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth has covered many livestock shows and conferences across the continent since 1988. Duckworth had graduated from Lethbridge College’s journalism program in 1974, later earning a degree in communications from the University of Calgary. Duckworth won many awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Association, American Agricultural Editors Association, the North American Agricultural Journalists and the International Agriculture Journalists Association.

explore

Stories from our other publications