At the Regular Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Town of Drumheller Council adopted Bylaw #11.26 – 2026 Property Tax Rate Bylaw. The bylaw follows approval of the Amended 2026 Operating and Capital Budget and reflects a 2.93% increase to the municipal portion of property taxes to support rising operational costs, infrastructure needs, and continued delivery of municipal services.
Property taxes are one of the Town’s primary revenue sources and help fund essential services including public safety, roads and infrastructure maintenance, utilities, recreation facilities, and community programs.
Property assessments in Drumheller are updated annually based on market conditions through a provincially regulated mass appraisal system. In accordance with Section 353 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), the 2026 tax rates are based on property values from the 2025 assessment roll.
During the 2026 budget deliberations, Administration advised Council and residents that the approved municipal budget would result in an estimated average municipal tax increase of 2.93% on a typical residential property. Following the finalization of updated assessment values across all property classes, the actual average increase is slightly lower at 2.91%.
For a single-family home assessed at the current median residential value of $295,000, the municipal portion of the property tax bill will increase by approximately $69 in 2026. In addition to municipal taxes, property tax notices include provincially mandated requisitions collected on behalf of the Government of Alberta and other agencies. These include education taxes, policing contributions under the provincial Police Funding Model, and seniors’ housing requisitions. Municipalities are required to collect these amounts and remit them directly to the appropriate authorities.
Property tax notices will be mailed on May 15, 2026. Residents who have not received their tax notice by June 15, 2026, are encouraged to contact the Town at 403-823-6300. Property taxes are due August 31, 2026.
-Submitted by the Town of Drumheller-
Comments