Property Taxes
How your Tax Bill is Calculated
Each year, Wheatland County Council approves the budget required to support Wheatland services. From this amount, sources of revenue other than property tax, such as license fees, permits, and provincial grants, are subtracted. The balance is the amount raised by property taxes. In order to calculate property tax, rates have to be established. The tax rates reflect the amount of taxes to be paid for every $1,000 of assessed value. The Province of Alberta also establishes a tax rate based on the revenue it requires from property tax. There is a $25 minimum property tax amount per roll number. Education Property Tax Deferral is available for non-residential properties. More information is available at http://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/ma-covid-non-residential-education-property-tax-insert-combined.pdf.
Your Property Tax Bill covers the period from January 1 to December 31 annually. A combined Tax and Assessment notice is mailed typically in April with a due date of June 30. Failure to receive a tax notice does not exempt you from a penalty after the due date. A 5% penalty is added to any unpaid balance after June 30, and if not paid by November 30 another 5% penalty is applied. Taxes can be paid at the County office, at your bank, or through online banking.
Payment Methods
Check your Roll Number
The property tax roll number is linked to the property – not the owner. Especially when paying through the bank, confirm the roll number you have registered with your bank matches your most recent notice before making payment via branch, ATM, online or telephone banking. If you misapply a payment to your old property or to an invalid roll number, notify our office immediately. Incorrectly applied payments may result in a late payment penalty if the property taxes remain unpaid past the due date. Wheatland County is not responsible for errors and/or omissions.
Own more than one property?
Owners of multiple properties need to register and make payment to each roll number separately. If you’ve recently sold a property, you may want to remove the account from your bill payment profile to ensure you do not accidentally use it.
Administration Office
- Payments are accepted between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Pay by cash, cheque, money order, or debit. Credit card payments are not accepted.
- When using debit, be aware of your daily withdrawal limit.
- Cheques or money orders (do not leave cash) can be left in the overnight deposit box located left of the main doors of the Administration Office.
- Your payment must be in the deposit box prior to midnight of the due date to meet the payment deadline.
Bank
Payments can be made through most financial institutions. It is important to know your bank’s policies regarding the effective date of payment to avoid a late payment penalty.
With your Bank – in Person, by Phone, Online or ATM
Register payee/bill account number(s) and make a payment
- Register payee. Select and add “Wheatland County – Taxes” or “County of Wheatland” (or the closest version of) as a payee from your bank’s payee list.
- If you are unsure of what payee to select, contact Wheatland County or your banking institution.
- Register the four to nine-digit roll number shown on your property tax and assessment notice as your bill account number.
- If you have more than one property, register and make payment to each roll number separately.
- When paying in-person, have your property tax and assessment notice with you and have the bank staff confirm/ register your roll number(s) as your bill account number(s).
- If you pay by ATM, pre-register your roll number(s) associated with the payee “Wheatland County – Taxes”.
- Allow adequate processing time (typically 3-5 business days) prior to the due date.
Payments sent to incorrect payees will not be applied to your account and may result in late payment penalties/
Property Tax Collected as Part of your Mortgage Payment
- If you pay principal, interest, and taxes (PIT) to a mortgage company/bank, the company will receive a copy of your property tax and assessment notice. The name of the company receiving a copy appears on your notice.
- If you believe you are paying PIT, but the mortgage holder name does not appear on your notice, contact your mortgage holder immediately.
- If a mortgage holder is named on your notice and they are no longer responsible for your tax payment, you are then responsible to remove them and pay property taxes on or before the due date to avoid penalty.
- If you are currently enrolled in PIT, no additional payment is required at this time.
Cheques
Reduce the risk of late payment penalties. Drop off, mail, or courier your cheque or money order today, post-dated on or before the due date.
Ensure your cheque or money order is made payable to “Wheatland County”, signed, dated, and completed accurately as Wheatland County is not responsible for errors and/or omissions.
Enclose the remittance portion of your notice(s) and write the property tax roll number(s) on your cheque or money order. If you have multiple properties, you can pay property taxes using a single cheque or money order.
Mail
- Send cheques or money orders (do not send cash).
- The Canada Post postmark is honoured as the payment date as long as it is clearly legible.
- Wheatland County is not responsible for lost payments.
- Payments received after the due date without a Canada Post postmark are subject to late payment penalties.
- Mailed and couriered payments are accepted between 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday at the Administration Office.
PaySimply
NEW – PaySimply.ca
PaySimply is an approved payment method for the Canada Revenue Agency. Please note, that the user pays a 2.5% convenience fee at the time of transaction. Please allow 3 business days for payment processing.
Taxes
Pay taxes online by Credit Card, Interac e-Transfer, and PayPal
Visit PaySimply, our secure third-party payment provider, to pay online by credit card (Visa, MC, Amex), e-Transfer and PayPal. Please allow 3 business days for processing. A convenience fee will be applied to cover payment handling and processing charges.
Pay taxes in-person by Cash and Debit Card at Canada Post
Visit PaySimply, our secure third-party payment provider, to generate a QR code to take with you to Canada Post with your payment. Please allow 3 business days for processing once payment is made at Canada Post. A convenience fee will be applied to cover payment handling and processing charges.
Utilities
Pay utilities online by Credit Card, Interac e-Transfer and PayPal
Visit PaySimply, our secure third-party payment provider, to pay online by credit card (Visa, MC, Amex), e-Transfer and PayPal. Please allow 3 business days for processing. A convenience fee will be applied to cover payment handling and processing charges.
Pay utilities in-person by Cash and Debit Card at Canada Post
Visit PaySimply, our secure third-party payment provider, to generate a QR code to take with you to Canada Post with your payment. Please allow 3 business days for processing once payment is made at Canada Post. A convenience fee will be applied to cover payment handling and processing charges.
TIPP
Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP)
TIPP is a popular program that allows you to pay your property taxes by monthly installment. Your payment comes out of your bank account automatically on the first day of every month, making budgeting easier and eliminating the risk of a 5% late payment penalty as long as the account remains in good standing.
To Join TIPP
Don’t delay! Submit your application before December 15 to enroll in the program for the following year. You may join the program for the current year prior to May 1; however, to join after January 1, you will need to make an initial payment equal to the missed installments from January 1, plus a filing fee. Contact our office for more information.
Already a TIPP Participant?
If you are currently enrolled in TIPP, no additional payment is required at this time. Each year after the taxes are levied, your installment payments are adjusted to reflect the current year’s taxes. Your notice indicates your adjusted monthly installment. Contact our office two weeks prior to your next payment to change your banking information or cancel your TIPP enrollment for any reason, including selling your property.
Autopay
Wheatland County also has an Auto Payment option available for ratepayers who are too late to apply for TIPP or have tax arrears; please contact our office for more information.
Change of Mailing Address
Wheatland County sources property ownership and mailing address information for property tax and assessment notices from the property’s Certificate of Title as registered with the Province of Alberta Land Titles Office. Legal name changes, spelling corrections, or mailing address updates must be made directly through Alberta Land Titles.
Alberta Government Services
Calgary Land Titles Office
Box 7575
Calgary, AB, T2P 2R4
Street Address: 710 4th Ave. S.W., Calgary
Phone: (403) 297-6511
Fax: (403) 297-8641
Email: lto@gov.ab.ca
School Support
Some areas within Wheatland County have separate school education available. If your property is within one of these areas, you may choose which education system you would like your school taxes to support. The School Declaration Form is also available at the County office. We must receive these declarations before December 31 in order to change the school support declaration for the following year. Please contact Property Tax Clerk if you have any questions or concerns.
Property Assessment
Property assessments are used to calculate the property tax amount. Learn more about the assessment process and how to submit a complaint.