ATHABASCA – Property assessments are on the rise across the province and Athabasca County is no exception, with ratepayers turning to social media — or their local councillors — to express their displeasure with their tax bills.
Athabasca County councillors are hoping a pair of bylaws passed during the June 10 council meeting will help ratepayers with the unexpected hit to their pocketbooks this spring.
“These changes are a direct response to the feedback we’ve received from residents and business owners,” said Athabasca County Reeve Tracy Holland.
“Council recognizes the importance of providing effective support during times of change, and these bylaws reflect our commitment to ensuring fairness and flexibility in local taxation.”
Bylaw 017-2025 defers the property tax deadline for select properties from July 31 to Oct. 31, effectively cancelling a four per cent overdue penalty that would have been imposed starting on Aug. 1.
The tax payment extension applies to the following property classes: residential, farmland, non-residential small business, non-residential, and grant in lieu classifications for the aforementioned classes.
“This change aims to ease the financial burden on property owners whose assessments increased due to newly evaluated developments and changes to former farmland assessments,” reads a June 10 press release from the county.
The regular eight per cent late penalty will still apply for unpaid taxes starting Nov. 1, and the amendment doesn’t alter the legislated timeline for assessment complaints, which must still be filed before the deadline indicated on the tax notice.
Bylaw 018-2025 extends the application period for small businesses to apply for the small business sub-class for the 2025 tax year, which allows eligible small businesses to benefit from a 25 per cent reduction in the mill rate applied to non-residential properties per Bylaw 012-2023.
Only 4 businesses applied for the exemption in 2024, but the number rose to 58 in 2025 and councillors are hoping the extension will allow for more businesses to take advantage of the program. The original deadline was Jan. 31, but properties will now have until Aug. 11 to submit their small business declaration.
For more info on these bylaw changes, or to apply for the small business exemption, visit www.athabascacounty.com/government/assessment-taxes/ or contact the county office at 780-675-2273.
