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“Assessment” is the process of placing a dollar value on a property for taxation purposes – the value used to calculate the amount of taxes that will be charged to the owner of the property.

“Taxation” is the process of applying a tax rate (mill rate) to a property’s assessed value to determine the taxes payable by the owner of that property. This is based on the budgeted funds required to operate and maintain the municipality for that year. Town Council meets in April each year to set the municipal Residential and Non-residential taxations rates for the current year. Your municipal taxes are calculated using the following formula:
Assessment x Tax Rate = Property Taxes

Alberta has adopted the ‘market value’ standard for property assessment. This standard is considered the most fair because all property is assessed on the same basis, and equitable because properties with similar market value in a municipality will pay a similar amount of property tax.

“Market Value” is defined in Section 1(n) of Alberta’s Municipal Government Act as:
“….the amount that a property might be expected to realize if it is sold on the open market by a willing seller and buyer.”

This allows property owners to readily understand their assessments and make comparisons with similar properties. Assessors must follow the same procedures and legislation. The Town of Innisfail, as with most smaller municipalities, contracts out its assessment services. The Town of Innisfail assessment services are provided by Wildrose Assessment Services. Assessments are done on Innisfail’s properties by January of each year.

The Tax amount on your Assessment & Tax Notice is for taxes levied from January to December of the current year. Your Assessment and Tax Notice includes separate tax levies taxed at different rates that make up your total property taxes:

1. Municipal Levy – this amount is paid directly to the municipality (Town of Innisfail) and pays for municipal infrastructure, facilities, services, programs, and other budgeted items.
2. School Levy – This amount is collected by the Town of Innisfail and paid directly to the Province of Alberta, for maintenance and development of the school systems. The amount of School funds paid by each municipality is based on population and the tax base. All municipalities must collect and forward these funds to the province.

Tax Penalties
All taxes are due and payable on June 30th. An 8% penalty will be added to all current taxes not paid by the due date. And additional 4% penalty will be added to all current taxes not paid within 60 days of the due date. All taxes remaining outstanding on January 1st will be charged a further 12%.

When taxes are to be paid by a mortgage company, the owner is responsible to ensure the taxes are paid before the due date.

Any property with respect to which the taxes have been in arrears for more than one year is liable to proceedings under the Alberta’s Municipal Government Act and amendments thereto.

Assessment Inquiries & Appeals
If you do not agree with your property assessment, you may appeal to the Town of Innisfail Assessment Review Board (ARB). This is the only time of year you may submit an appeal (as per the Municipal Government Act), and you may only appeal the assessment – not the tax amount.
To make an appeal to the ARB, please submit the following to the Town of Innisfail before the date indicated on the Tax Notice:

1. A detailed, written explanation, outlining the reasons why the assessment is incorrect.
2. Your current address and phone number.
3. Please note: Your appeal must be received by the Board Clerk on or before the final date of appeal as shown on the Property Assessment & Tax Notice.
4. Your appeal must be accompanied by a $30.00 appeal fee (refundable if decision is ruled in favor of appellant) as per Assessment Review Board Bylaw #1358.
5. To avoid all penalties, your taxes must be paid by the due date even though you may have appealed your assessment.
   

Pre-authorized Monthly Tax Payment Plan
Property owners of Innisfail may take advantage of our Pre-authorized Monthly Tax Payment Plan for payment property taxes. If your taxes are paid up to date of application, you may apply to have monthly installments automatically withdrawn from your bank account on the 15th of each month. You may sign up for this plan up to April 30th. There is no charge for this service. Application forms are available at the Town Office and plan will commence on January 15th. For more information contact the Town Office.

Pre-authorized Monthly Tax Payment Plan Application Form

Property Assessment & Taxation 2005 Update
Council has reduced the residential tax rate from 13.34 in 2005 to 12.80 in 2006.The nonresidential tax rate has been reduced from 15.11 in 2005 to 14.29 in 2006. Innisfail property taxes may increase, or decrease, as a result of market value adjustments in assessment.

Alberta Municipal Affairs conducts an audit of the Town’s assessment data to ensure that the median ratio of assessments is between 0.950 – 1.050. An assessment ratio is the assessed value of a property divided by an indication of market value for the property.
Assessment & Tax Notices will be mailed out the first week of May.Full payment is due June 30, 2006. Deadline for written assessment appeals is no later than May 31, 2006. For more information, call the Tax Clerk at the Town Office at 227-3376.

	Tax FAQs