On Tuesday, April 22, Kneehill County Council passed the 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw, choosing a strategy that minimizes the impact on residents while maintaining budgeted revenues and complying with provincial legislation.
To help reduce the effect of rising costs on ratepayers, Council approved a draw of $277,650 from the Revenue Stabilization Reserve and reduced residential and non-residential mill rates in response to inflationary assessment shifts, allowing the County to uphold its $27.71 million tax revenue goal without exceeding the legislated ratio of 5:1- a requirement of Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, which ensures non-residential properties are not taxed at more than five times the rate of residential properties.
Even with these mitigation efforts, a property tax increase is anticipated in 2025, driven by higher property assessments.
Additionally, there was a significant increase in the provincial education requisition—a charge set by the Government of Alberta and collected by Kneehill County on the province’s behalf. The County has no authority to adjust or absorb these requisition amounts.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep taxes manageable for residents while continuing to deliver essential services,” said Kneehill County Reeve Kenneth King. “This year, rising assessments and uncontrollable requisitions made that balance especially difficult. This strategy represents a fair and responsible solution.”
The following are estimated municipal tax impacts under the approved bylaw:
An average acreage assessed at $428,000 (up from $380,000 in 2024) will see an increase of approximately $99.
A hamlet home assessed at $178,000 (up from $160,000) will increase by about $36.
An average farm quarter section will see a $23 increase, with no change to assessment value.
A non-residential property assessed at $102,000 (up from $100,000) will see a $24 decrease in municipal taxes under this scenario.
While municipal taxes remain relatively stable, increases to the provincial education and Kneehill Housing requisitions will appear on 2025 tax notices.
These components are outside of Kneehill County’s control, and Council is required by law to collect and remit these funds.
Residents will receive a detailed tax insert along with their 2025 property tax notice explaining the breakdown between municipal taxes and provincial requisitions.
