Residents across the M.D. of Opportunity who are experiencing sticker shock over sudden spikes in their property taxes have until Sept. 1 to file an official appeal.
The issue of rising property assessments was brought directly to the council table during the regular meeting on July 15, after several locals complained about drastic and seemingly random tax increases.
Councillor Darlene Jackson raised the alarm, noting that the average household increase was supposed to be around $70 for the year. Instead, some residents are seeing their bills jump by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Jackson pointed out one specific case where a resident’s tax bill skyrocketed from $2,800 to $4,100, while a neighbour with a similar home on a slightly smaller lot pays significantly less. Another resident saw an unexpected $800 increase without making a single upgrade to their property.
“She did not change anything,” Jackson said of the homeowner facing the $800 hike.
M.D. Chief Administrative Officer Chad Tullis explained that massive leaps in property assessments are generally tied to significant physical improvements, like building an addition or pulling new permits. Increases can also be driven by shifts in the provincial school tax requisition, which is completely separate from the municipal side of the tax bill.
However, Tullis agreed that a sudden, unexplained jump of $800 or $1,300 is unusual.
“The calculation, it seems odd,” Tullis said. “That jump would require some sort of addition or improvement and that might be a valid reason for an assessment appeal.”
For a $25 fee, residents can formally dispute their residential property assessment. The complaint triggers a hearing with the Assessment Review Board, an independent body tasked with reviewing property valuations. At the hearing, the municipal assessor must present the factual information and the science behind how the specific assessment was calculated.
Deputy Reeve Brendan Powell strongly encouraged residents with drastic, unexplained jumps to go through the official appeals process. He noted that while the Municipal Government Act has very strict guidelines for how assessors calculate property values, the board has the power to step in if the numbers are incorrect.
Powell acknowledged that while every appellant lost their case last year, the dramatic jumps some residents are seeing this year make an appeal a smart move.
“It is the assessor that goes through their case and how they came up with it, and if it makes sense, then we agree with them,” Powell said. “If it doesn’t make sense, then the board can overturn it.”
According to the municipality’s official notice, combined assessment and tax notices were mailed out on June 25. Any resident who wishes to dispute their assessed value must submit their complaint in writing to the Assessment Review Board Clerk in Wabasca.
The documents must be postmarked by Sept. 1, and the appropriate complaint fee must be paid prior to processing.
Armaan Khanna
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter