Notice to Thorhild County Ratepayers
Taxation is the amount levied against property and is determined by multiplying the property assessment by the mill rate. Taxes are collected to fund municipal programs, services and improvements.
The Combined Assessment and Tax Notices are mailed out late May early June each year. Any ratepayer who does not receive a tax notice by mid June is advised to contact the Thorhild County tax department at 780-398-3741 ext. 2822.
Taxes must be paid on or before the due date shown on the tax notice.
Taxes not paid by due date as shown on the tax notice will be assessed a 10% penalty on the day after the due date as shown on tax notice.
Taxes not paid by last business day in November are subject to a 15% penalty on the total tax amount outstanding. The penalty is applied the first business day after the due date.
TIPP accounts in good standing are not subjected to penalties
Anyone wishing to appeal their Combined Assessment and Tax Notice has 60 days from the date of mailing to do so. A fee of $25.00 per parcel must accompany the completed assessment complaint form(s). The appeal deadline is stated on the front of the notice.
Important Dates:
DATE
INFORMATION
Property Assessment and Taxation notices are mailed
July 15th
Property Taxes are due
60 Days from Notice of Assessment Date
Assessment Complaint Deadline
July 16th
10% Penalty on any current unpaid taxes
December 1st
15% Penalty on all outstanding taxes
Notice of Thorhild County Ratepayers Mailing of Combined Assessment and Tax Notices 2024
Property assessment is the dollar value assigned to property for the purpose of taxation. Thorhild County appoints a municipal assessor to assess the value of every property within the County. These property assessments are entered into the municipal tax roll annually.
Your annual property assessment reflects the estimated market value (the amount it likely would have sold for on the open market) of your property based on the valuation date of July 1 of the previous year, as set by the Municipal Government Act. Real estate market conditions may change from the valuation date to when you receive your current assessment. Market changes that have occurred since July 1 of the previous year will be reflected on the following year's assessment.
Assessor Annual Property Inspections Notification
The Assessment Review Period is your opportunity to review your assessment, receive more information about your assessment and if necessary, discuss your assessment with us.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding your assessment, please contact Mr. Travis Horne (County Assessor) at 780-939-3310 or the Thorhild County tax department at 780-398-3741 ext. 2822.
Assessment Complaint Form Assessment Complaints Agent Authorization Form
Residential
Non-Residential
Non-Residential Small Business
Farmland
Municipal
18.5968
Seniors Housing
Education
2020 Mill Rate Bylaw
2021 Mill Rate Bylaw
2024 Mill Rate Bylaw
This amount is collected by Thorhild County and paid directly to the Province of Alberta for maintenance and development of the school system. The amount of school funds paid by each Municipality is based on population and the tax base and is set by the Alberta Government. All Municipalities must collect and forward these funds.
This amount is collected by Thorhild County and paid directly to NewThoRad Seniors Housing to help pay for seniors housing in our area.
Then you may qualify for the Non – Residential Small Business Property Sub-Class.
Does the business have fewer than 25 full time employees across Canada as at December 31?
A fulltime employee is someone that works a minimum of 37.5 hours a week on a regular basis.
Are you the owner of a non-residential property in Thorhild County?
Non-residential property means; linear property, components of manufacturing or processing facilities that are used for the cogeneration of power or other property on which industry, commerce or another use takes place or is permitted to take place under a land use bylaw passed by a council but does not include farm land or land that is used or intended to be used for permanent living accommodation.
2024 Non-Residential Small Business Sub Class Declaration Non-Residential Small Business Sub Class Bylaw 14-2018
Properties are classified as either residential, farmland, linear or machinery & equipment. Some properties have more than one class. The sub-classes of property are detailed below with a brief explanation of the assessment. Please check the classification of your property on your assessment notice to ensure that it is properly described.
Residential properties are assessed at market value, as of July 1 of prior year. Market value is determined by analyzing the sales of all property types throughout the municipality. Mass appraisal techniques are used in this valuation process. Since assessment reflects mid range sale values, the assessment may be slightly higher or lower than an actual sale price on a particular property.
Farmland is assessed based on the ability of land to produce agricultural products. The current Ministers Guidelines in conjunction with the Alberta Farmland Assessment Manual has been utilized to prepare farmland assessments. The Rural Assessment Policy applies the amount of agricultural valued land assessment in the owner’s unit as an exemption towards the residence.
The Non-Residential category of property refers to industrial and commercial operations, such as storage units, gravel pit operations, service stations, stores etc. Properties that have multi-purpose uses, such as a commercial business operating from a residential acreage, would have the commercial/industrial operation of the assessment classed as non-residential. The non-residential category of land, buildings and structures is assessed at market value.
Machinery and equipment (M&E) that is used for processing or manufacturing is assessed at the stipulated regulatory level as per the current Minister’s Guidelines. This category includes properties such as gas plants, gas and oilfield installations.
Linear properties include electric transmission lines, telephone and telecommunications equipment, oil and gas wells, pipelines, towers, power generation and cable. Linear property is assessed by provincial assessors using regulated rates and depreciation schedules which apply specifically to this property.
Farm properties often contain several assessment classes. If the property contains a residence, then the residence, along with the first 3.00 acres, will be assessed at market value, as if it were a 3.00 acre subdivided parcel. These values are classified as residential on your notice. If there is a commercial or industrial operation on the property, all buildings and improvements and the land area used for the operation will be assessed at market value. These values will be classified as non-residential. If M&E is used in these operations, the M&E will be assessed based on regulated rates and the assessment will be classified as M&E. The farmland is valued based on agricultural values and is classified as farmland. Farm buildings are exempt from assessment and taxation to the extent that they are used for farming purposes.
Municipalities are required to collect education taxes on behalf of the Provincial Government. The education tax supports all public and separate school students and helps pay for basic instruction costs, including teacher salaries, textbooks and other classroom resources. Read more about the education tax from the Government of Alberta.
The School Support Declaration form indicates whether your education property tax dollars will support the public or the separate (Catholic) school system.
School support status is shown on your property assessment notice. You can change your school support status at any time. The change does not take effect until the following calendar year.
Fact Sheet for School Support Declaration
Download and print the school support notice that applies to you School Support Notice Roman Catholic Separate - Individual School Support Notice Roman Catholic Separate - Corporations and Cooperatives
For additional information contact:
Courtney Gray Tax Clerk Phone: 780-398-3741 Ext 2822 Toll free: 1-877-398-3777 E-mail: courtney.gray@thorhildcounty.com
Tax certificates show a record of yearly tax amounts, payment information and any penalties or outstanding account balances for a property. A tax certificate may be required by a law firm or financial institution when a property is being sold, refinanced or as a verification of paid taxes.
Tax Certificate Request Form
For more information or to return the completed Tax Certificate Request Form, please contact:
Courtney Gray Tax Clerk Phone: 780-398-3741 Ext 2822 Toll free 1-877-398-3777 Email: courtney.gray@thorhildcounty.com
1. If taxes remain unpaid after December 31 of the year that they were imposed, the property is considered "in arrears".
2. After more than one year in arrears, a Tax Recovery Notification is registered on Title.
3. If arrears are not paid by March 31 of the year following registration of the tax recovery notification, the municipality will offer the parcel for sale at Public Auction.
4. If not sold at public auction, the County may take ownership of the parcel by filing "tax forfeiture" on title. At this point, the parcel may still be sold as a Tax Recovery Property.
To learn more about the tax recovery process, read the Guide to Tax Recovery in Alberta.
For questions regarding tax recovery in Thorhild County, please contact the Tax Clerk at 780-398-3741 ext 2822 or courtney.gray@thorhildcounty.com.
Public Auction Timeline
Note: "Year 1" is the year in which the original unpaid taxes were imposed.
Each parcel will be offered for sale subject to a reserve bid and to the reservations and conditions contained in the existing Certificate of Title.
These properties are being offered for sale on an “as is, where is” basis and Thorhild County makes no representation and gives no warranty whatsoever as to the adequacy of services, soil conditions, land use districting, building and development conditions, absence, or presence of environment contamination, or the developability of the subject land for any intended use by the Purchaser.
No bid will be accepted where the bidder attempts to attach conditions on the sale of any parcel. No terms or conditions of sale will be considered other than those specified by Thorhild County.
Thorhild County may, after the public auction, become the owner of any parcel of land not sold at the public auction.
Terms: Cash or Certified Cheque and GST will be applied on lands sold at the Public Auction. A 10% deposit is payable upon the acceptance of the bid at Public Auction. The balance of the accepted bid is due within 30 days.
Redemption may be affected by payment of all arrears of taxes and costs at any time prior to the sale.
*GST will be applied to winning bid
Monthly Payment Options:
1. Through Thorhild County Tax Instalment Payment Plan (TIPP) 2. Through your mortgage
Annual Payment Options:
1. Bank (inlcuding online and telephone banking) 2. By mail (cheque or money order) 3. In person (Cash, cheque, debit or money order) 4. Option Pay
The Tax Instalment Payment Plan allows ratepayers to make monthly tax payments instead of one lump sum payment in June. Taxes must be at a zero ($0.00) balance before starting the TIPP program.
Payments are automatically withdrawn on the 1st of each month starting January 1st. All taxes in good standing will not be charged penalties.
Monthly instalments are calculated by dividing the most recent tax levy by 12. This amount will be withdrawn from your account starting on Jan 1st and continuing on the 1st of each month thereafter until June. An adjustment to incorporate the current assessment levy will be done in June and the adjusted amount will start on July 1st. The tax department will contact TIPP land owners with the adjusted amount that is to be withdrawn from the bank account starting July 1st and continuing to December 1st.
When you receive your annual Combined Assessment and Tax Notice in May, if you are enrolled in the TIPP program, please do not pay the amount due.
You must notify Thorhild County in writing at least 15 days prior to the next due date to arrange for withdrawal from the TIPP program.
If you pay property taxes to a mortgage company, your mortgage company submits the payment to the County on your behalf.
Thorhild County sends you the original property tax notice for your records. The name of the mortgage company being billed appears on your tax notice. Mortgage companies submit payments by July 15.
You can pay your property taxes in a lump sum through your financial institution.
In-person
Before making a payment in person at your bank, confirm that your bank accepts "in-person paper payments" using the remittance stub of your property tax notice.
Some financial institutions will process payments at a teller only if their clients have been set up for online banking.
Online
Payment can be made through your online banking. You need to add us as a payee; the payee name will be "Thorhild County Taxes". Your Tax Roll Number is your account number. Remember to allow several days for processing the payment to avoid late fees.
When making a payment online, confirmation from your bank is your receipt. No further receipt is issued by Thorhild County.
The tax roll number is unique to each property. If you have recently moved, the tax roll number will be different than on your previous property.
Should you own multiple properties, payments made through internet banking must be designated to each tax roll number to ensure they are applied to correct account.
If you wish to pay your property taxes by mail, send a cheque or money order and the remittance portion of your tax notice to the following address:
Thorhild County Box 10 Thorhild, AB T0A 3J0
When sending your payment by mail, allow ample time for the payment to arrive prior to July 15. The envelope must be post-marked by Canada Post by the due date to avoid late-payment penalties. The County is not responsible if payments are not received.
For a fee, you may pay by credit card through a third party vendor “OptionPay”. To use this service, please click the link.
You can pay taxes in person by cheque, money order, debit or cash at:
Thorhild County Administration Office 801-1 Street, Thorhild, Alberta 8:00am - 4:30pm Tuesday - Friday