Visit our Interactive Property Tax Notice for an in depth view of your annual tax notice.
Understanding your Property Tax
Property taxes are financial resources that transform into valued services and capital assets, which serve quality of life. Want to know more about taxes and how they are calculated? View these videos to learn more:
Property Tax Key Dates |
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|---|---|---|
| Assessment Notice Mail Date | January | Assessment Notices are mailed and available online via MyCity. |
| Tax Bill Period | Jan 1 to Dec 31 | Property tax bills cover the calendar year. |
| Tax Notice Mail Date | Late May | Property tax notices are mailed and available online via MyCity. |
| Tax Due Date | Last business day in June | Payment Options and Instructions. |
| Penalty | July 1 | Penalty on Current and Arrears balances are applied twice a year. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What do my property taxes pay for?
Your property taxes support services people rely on every day in Red Deer, including:
- Municipal services like roads and transportation, emergency services, parks and recreation. These services help keep Red Deer running and support quality of life in the community.
- Additional fees on your tax bill include a provincial education tax and seniors affordable housing tax. These amounts are set by the provincial government.
To learn more about where your tax dollars go, please refer to the annual Operating Budget and see How are my tax dollars spent?
What makes up my property tax bill?
Your property taxes support essential services in your community and across Alberta. Your annual property tax bill has three parts:
- Municipal taxes
Set by City Council to fund local services like roads, emergency services and parks. - Education taxes
Set by the Province of Alberta. The City collects this on behalf of the Province. - Other requisitions
Additional contributions required by legislation. These make up less than 1% of your tax bill.
Each part can change independently, which affects your total bill.
How is my property tax calculated?
Your property tax is calculated using:
- The total municipal property tax budget divided by the assessed values of all properties provides the tax rates
- Your property’s assessed value times the tax rates equals your portion of property taxes
Your share depends on how your property value compares to others in the city:
- properties with below-average assessment changes may see below-average tax increases
- properties with above-average assessment changes may see above-average tax increases
- properties with assessment changes at the average will see the average tax increase
What is the education tax, and why is it included on my City bill?
Provincial education property tax is the portion of your property tax that funds kindergarten to Grade 12 education in Alberta.
Although it appears on your City of Red Deer property tax bill, this money does not stay in Red Deer. All education property taxes are forwarded to the provincial government, who distributes funding to public school boards across Alberta based on student enrollment.
A common misconception is that this tax directly funds local schools or depends on whether you have children in school. In fact, all Alberta property owners share the cost of provincial public education based on the assessed value of their taxable property.
The amount is set by the Government of Alberta, and The City does not control this portion of your taxes.
What are the other requisitions included on my tax bill?
Other property tax requisitions make up less than one per cent of your total tax bill.
In Red Deer, the most common are the Bridges Community Living requisition, which helps fund senior affordable lodge accommodations, and the Designated Industrial Property requisition, which funds the provincial assessment of industrial properties such as pipelines and railways. These are small charges that support specific programs and services.
Click to complete the School Support Notice (pdf).
Bridges Community Living is an agency that provides affordable seniors housing. More information is available on the Bridges Community Living website or by phone: 403-343-1077.
Why did my property taxes increase this year?
The City of Red Deer sets the municipal property taxes each year through its operating budget. These funds stay in the city to support essential local services. Property tax bills can change from year to year based on several factors.
In 2026:
- City Council approved a 3.97% increase to the municipal portion of property taxes to maintain services and infrastructure.
- The Government of Alberta increased the education property tax by 12.83%, which is included on your bill.
Because your bill includes multiple components, the total increase may be higher than the municipal increase alone.
Why is my property tax different from my neighbour’s?
Property taxes are based on your property's assessed value compared to others in the city.
The City sets the total budget needed, then distributes that amount across all properties.
If your property value changes more or less than others, your share of the total may change as well.
Why doesn’t my bill match the increase I heard about?
Property tax bills include multiple components. Even if one part increases by a certain amount, changes in other parts can affect your total.
For example:
- The municipal portion may increase at one rate
- The education portion may increase at a different rate
This is why your final total may look different than expected.
What if I can't pay my property taxes on time?
If you're concerned about paying your taxes:
- Pay what you can before the deadline to reduce penalties
- Confirm processing times with your financial institution
- Contact The City’s tax team for support
You may also be eligible to join the Tax Instalment Plan (TIP), which allows you to make monthly payments. The deadline to register is June 15, annually.