Tax

Property taxes

Property taxes fund municipal services, infrastructure, and programs that support everyday life in Cypress County. From maintaining roads and bridges to supporting emergency services, recreation, agricultural services, and community facilities, property taxes provide a reliable source of revenue that allows the County to deliver essential services and plan for the future.

How property taxes are set

Each year, Cypress County Council approves a budget that identifies the funding required to deliver municipal services and invest in infrastructure. Tax rates are then established through the annual Tax Rate Bylaw to generate the municipal revenue needed to support that budget.

Your property tax bill is determined by two factors:

Property assessment × tax rate = Property taxes

Because both property assessments and tax rates can change from year to year, your property taxes may increase or decrease annually.

In addition to the municipal portion of your tax bill, Cypress County is required to collect provincial education taxes, seniors' foundation requisitions, and other provincially legislated requisitions on behalf of the Government of Alberta. These amounts are set by the province and remitted by the County.

The below graph shows the current percentage breakdown of property taxes collected:

A responsible, long-term approach

Council is committed to balancing today's needs with tomorrow's priorities. This means making thoughtful decisions that support:

  • Reliable municipal services
  • Safe and well-maintained infrastructure
  • Responsible financial planning
  • Sustainable tax rates over the long term

The County monitors and adapts to changing economic conditions, infrastructure needs, and provincial funding models to keep tax decisions predictable while maintaining the high level of service residents expect.

Where your tax dollars go

The municipal portion of your property taxes fund a wide range of services and infrastructure, including:

  • Roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure
  • Fire and emergency services
  • Protective services and emergency management
  • Parks, recreation, and community facilities
  • Agricultural services and weed control
  • Planning and development
  • Waste management
  • Administration and customer service
  • Capital projects and infrastructure renewal

The chart below shows the breakdown of the County’s budget by department:

 

Comparing property tax rates

Cypress County regularly reviews its tax rates against comparable municipalities across Alberta to ensure we remain fair, competitive, and financially sustainable. Council considers both affordability for taxpayers and the long-term financial health of the municipality when establishing annual tax rates.

The below chart shows the breakdown of tax revenue the county receives:

There are several options for paying your county taxes:

The Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) provides property owners with the opportunity to make 12 consecutive monthly property tax payments instead of a single, annual payment. Payments can only be made by automatic withdrawals from a bank account. Please send TIPP enrollment forms to tipp@cypress.ab.ca  

Other Ways to Pay

You can make payments in person at the county office in Dunmore between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

  • Please bring your tax notice
  • Interac payments are accepted. Check with your financial institution to ensure your transaction limit is sufficient.
  • Through online banking with your tax roll number
  • Pay online with OptionPay (only this method can be used for credit card payments)
  • There is an after-hours mail slot available, but only for payments by cheque
  • By Mail (mail must be post marked by June 30, please note that not all mail submitted to Canada Post is not post marked on the day it is dropped on the slot. 
  • Financial institutions
  • Through your mortgage company
  • In person at the county office
  • Please Note: Failure to receive your tax notice is not sufficient reason for late payment.  

If Canada Post has recently changed your mailing address, or you have moved, remember to update your tax account to ensure continued delivery of your assessment and tax notices. There are two options to update your property tax address with Cypress County:

You should also update your address with the Land Titles Office to ensure your correct mailing address is recorded on the Certificate of Title. Visit Service Alberta for more information.

A tax certificate provides the roll number, legal description, levy, current balance, utility account balance and monthly tax payment plan amount. 

There is a $30 fee, which can be paid by cheque, Visa, or MasterCard (faxed or emailed copies of cheques are not accepted). Please send requests to taxcert@cypress.ab.ca. Please note there is a three to four business day turnaround to process tax certificates. A copy of the certificate will be faxed and the original sent by mail.