Strathcona County distributes property assessment notices in February and tax notices in May every year. The property tax deadline is the last business day in June each year. Pay on time to avoid extra fees.  

Other key dates: 

• The tax year is January 1 to December 31 
• July 1 – market value determination date (2025 values are based on July 1, 2024 market values)

Where your municipal property taxes go

A sample residence assessed at $475,000 can expect their municipal property tax bill to be about $2,240 in 2025. To see a more in-depth breakdown of where your municipal property taxes go, visit our Property Tax Calculator. 

2025 municipal property tax increase: 3.90%

At the April 29, 2025, meeting, Council approved the 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw at 3.90 per cent. This increase includes the recreation infrastructure levy which is on year two of three. The 3.90 per cent municipal increase will support growth and continue providing quality services within Strathcona County.

Tax distribution

2025 residential property tax distribution

• Municipal: 64 per cent pays for municipal operations and recreation infrastructure
• Education: 35 per cent is collected on behalf of the Government of Alberta for education
• Senior housing: 1 per cent supports the Heartland Housing Foundation

Government of Alberta Education tax requisition

All Alberta municipalities are required to collect education taxes on behalf of the Government of Alberta. The provincial education requisition generates the tax revenue necessary to meet this requirement.

In the 2025 provincial budget, there was a significant increase in the education property tax. For example, a residential property valued at $475,000 in Strathcona County will see an increase of approximately $107 in education property tax compared to 2024. Similarly, a commercial property assessed at $1,983,000 will experience an increase of approximately $358.  

Detailed information about the Education Property Tax, including a fact sheet, is available on the Government of Alberta’s website. You can also learn more about the Education Property Tax increase on page 119 of the province’s 2025-28 Fiscal Plan.

Seniors’ Housing

The seniors’ housing tax is set by Heartland Housing, a non-profit organization that provides housing and care for seniors and other residents in need. Strathcona County collects this tax and forwards it to Heartland Housing. In 2025, the seniors’ housing tax will increase by approximately $1.63 for a residential property assessed at $475,000 and by approximately $5.62 for a non-residential property assessed at $1,983,000. 

Recreation infrastructure levy

Introduced in 2024, the infrastructure recreation levy helps fund the development, maintenance and improvement of recreation and cultural facilities and infrastructure in Strathcona County.

The levy supports the future of the Indoor Fieldhouse, with construction to commence in 2026. The funding will support additional recreation capital projects 2027 onwards. For instance, the Seniors Centre relies on this funding.

We are currently on year two of three of the recreation infrastructure levy, which is approximately 2% of the tax increase. After three years there are no levy increases – funding is included in base operations instead.

County services: A day in the life of a family 

Learn some of the ways your property taxes fund and maintain important services, programs and infrastructure that benefit our entire community.  

Government roles and responsibilities

There are three distinct levels of government in Canada: municipal, provincial (or territorial) and federal. It is important to understand the different roles of municipal, provincial and federal governments. Check out our handy Government Roles and Responsibilities chart (461.7 KB) for more clarity.

Change your mailing address

If you need to change the mailing address on your property tax account, please download the mailing address - change form, complete all applicable fields, hit the Submit button at the bottom of the form and send the email that will pop up. You'll need your:

• roll number or property address
• current mailing address
• new mailing address

School support

You can choose whether your education property tax dollars go to the public or separate (Catholic) school board. Visit Alberta Education Property Tax for further information.

Check your assessment notice or tax notice to learn which board you're currently supporting. Email taxation@strathcona.ca or call 780-464-8120 to get a form to change your school support choice.

Property tax programs for seniors

Strathcona Seniors Property Tax Rebate (County funded)

The County provides a $250 rebate to assist low-income seniors who are homeowners.

Eligibility -You must: 

• Be 65 years of age or older, 
• Single Senior Income must be $33,410 or less 
• Couple's Senior combined Income must be $54,640 or less 
• Live in your own home in Strathcona County. 

To apply: 

1. Call Family and Community Services at 780-464-4044 to book an appointment  
2. Complete an application form and 
3. Provide income confirmation (bring your Notice of Assessment from Canada Revenue Agency). 

Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program (Provincially funded)

The Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program will allow eligible senior homeowners to defer all or part of their property taxes through a low-interest home equity loan with the Government of Alberta. Contact 780-644-9992, or visit the Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program webpage for information.

Understanding property taxes

Learn the meaning of these terms to help you understand how property taxes are calculated.

• Property assessment
• Property taxation
• Budget
• Tax rate
• Per property share of tax
• Property value change
• Tax distribution
• Local improvement
• Provincial education tax requisition

Property assessment

The process of placing a dollar value on property for taxation purposes. Provincial legislation requires that an annual market value assessment be prepared for all properties (the valuation date is July 1, of the year preceding the tax year) and that the condition of the property be recorded (the condition date is December 31 of the year preceding the tax year).

Property taxation

The process of calculating a tax by multiplying the assessment by a tax rate.

Budget

The annual calculation of income and expenditures determines the property tax revenue required to pay for municipal programs and services, as well as Heartland Housing Foundation.

Tax rate

Calculated based on the amount of property tax revenue that is required to support municipal operations (the property tax revenue requirement divided by total County assessment).

Per property share of tax

Each property assessment multiplied by a tax rate. 

A property's share of tax changes each year, for a combination of two reasons: 

1. There is a change in annual budget requirements for municipal, Heartland Housing Foundation or the Provincial Education requisition. Council approved a 3.9 per cent municipal revenue increase for the 2025 County budget.

2. A particular property assessment (market value) changed more or less than the average. All Alberta municipalities are legislatively required to annually update property assessment values to reflect market value inflation or deflation, permits and other changes to property characteristics. 2025 tax year assessments in Strathcona County are legislatively based on July 1, 2024 market values. 2024 residential market values generally increased compared to 2023, by approximately 3.3 per cent.

Property value change

Strathcona County uses the assessed value of your property to calculate your estimated property taxes. However increases or decreases in assessed value do not automatically translate into increases or decreases in estimated property taxes.

If you calculated your estimated property taxes using the Tax Calculator, see how changes to your assessment affect your result. It's important to understand how your property's assessed value change compares to the overall assessed property value change in Strathcona County.

The average assessed value change was 3.3 per cent. If your residential assessment (market value) increased more or less than 3.3 per cent, there will be a corresponding effect on your 2025 property taxes.

Local improvement 

A local improvement is a project, approved by County Council, that is considered a greater benefit to a specified area within a municipality, rather than to the whole municipality. Some common examples include sewer infrastructure and roadworks.

A local improvement charge indicates the annual amount a property owner is required to pay to the County over a specified number of years, for projects constructed in the benefiting areas. Local improvements can be paid out any time during the amortization period to avoid future charges. Payout information can be obtained through the County's Financial and Strategic Services Department.