Edmonton Homeowners Face 7.7% Property Tax Hike

0:00It's April 17th. You're listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news. Edmonton homeowners are facing a 7.7% property tax jump this year, hitting $75 extra per $100,000. Dollars of home value. That's mostly from the province hiking its education levy in a deficit budget, pushing notices out in May. Mayor Andrew Nack pushed for the lower $53 per 100,000 that Council set last November, but it didn't stick. Council voted 11-2 on Friday to tweak the operating budget, with taxes due by June's end after final approval, April 28th. Extra city costs total about $20.8 million more than planned, thanks to higher workers' compremiums, transit deals, fire rescue, agreements, and fuel spikes eating into reserves. Nack promises this is the peak increase, with the next four-year budget shifting toward cuts in non-priority areas to laser focus on economic, development, growth management,

1:02top services, and safety. He warns folks to brace for tough service reductions that might sting, but says it'll pay off long-term. The city gripes about collecting the province's education tax, which funnels into general revenue anyway. Nack wants Alberta to handle it via income, taxes instead. Plus, Edmonton stuck with slow, non-residential growth while absorbing most population booms, leading to high mill rates double those of neighbors. Looking ahead, projections show tax hikes easing to 5.6% in 2027, down to 3.7% by 2030. Nacks betting big on economic pushes to flip these trends and lighten the load on residents.