Calculating Property Taxes
Municipal
Personal property taxes are calculated in two steps. First, the City Assessor prepares an assessment of your individual property. Second, the City sets tax rates for classes of properties such as residential and non-residential property. Property taxes are calculated on the prior year's assessment.
Annually, City Council approves the City of Spruce Grove’s operating and capital budgets which estimate the projected costs of providing services to the community. Revenues required to meet those costs are received through grants, user fees, and the municipal portion of property taxes. From the approved budget, the City establishes a tax rate (mill rate) to be applied to property assessments as per the approved property tax bylaw. The “mill rate” which is the amount of tax paid per dollar of assessed value of a property and is set so that the municipal portion of property taxes remains stable. The municipal portion of your property taxes is calculated by dividing your total property assessment by 1,000 and multiplying the result by the applicable mill rate.
To estimate a tax levy:
Taxes = (assessment x mill rate)/1000
To estimate taxes for new housing developments:
Taxes = (purchase price x mill rate)/1000
Education taxes
The City of Spruce Grove collects levies on behalf of the Provincial Government for education. Provincial government legislation requires that education receive funding through property taxes and all property owners are required to contribute, whether or not they have children attending school.
Your tax bill indicates whether the education portion of your taxes is directed to the public or separate school system. If your affiliation is incorrect, complete the Individual School Support Declaration or the Corporate School Support Declaration and submit it to us by December 31 in order for the change to take effect for the next tax year.
For more information about education property taxes can be found on the Alberta Education website.
Meridian Housing Foundation
City of Spruce Grove/Town of Stony Plain/Parkland County are required to collect taxes for seniors’ lodges set by Meridian Housing Foundation. Those funds are remitted to seniors’ lodges. All taxpayers are required to pay these amounts whether or not they use the services.
Alberta Government Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program
The Seniors’ Property Tax Deferral Program allows eligible senior homeowners to defer all or part of their property taxes through a low-interest home equity loan with the Alberta government. Visit Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program website or call Alberta Senior Supports at 780-644-9992 in the local calling area or toll-free at 1-877-644-9992.
For information on other provincial programs and services for seniors visit the Alberta Seniors Support Contact Centre.