If you have purchased a home recently, you should have received a School Support Declaration form (or download hereSchool Support Declaration Form). This form enables you to indicate whether you are a public or separate school supporter. If the Tax Department does not have your declaration on file by December 31st of the current year, your school taxes are allocated 100% to the Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF). If you have not filed a declaration, or if you wish to change your school support for the next year, please contact our office.

Why are property owners asked to declare their faith?

The Constitution of Canada guarantees Protestant and Roman Catholic citizens minority rights to a separate education system. In those communities where there are separate school jurisdictions which have opted-out of the ASFF, property owners must declare their religious affiliation to determine what education property tax dollars should be directed to those separate school jurisdictions.

Education Property Tax

For more information on your education property taxes or your education property taxes or education funding, contact Government of Alberta Education Property Tax line at (780) 422-7125 or toll-free by dialing 310-0000.

The Town of Chestermere is required by legislation to bill and collect school taxes on behalf of the Provincial government. While the Town bills and collects school taxes, the Town has no jurisdiction or control over school board budgets or operations. According to the Municipal Government Act, the Town is required to include the education amounts on property tax bills.

Each year the province calculates the amount that each municipality must contribute towards the public education system. The calculation is based on a formula that includes the amount of assessment in each municipality.

Municipalities are notified of the amount they must collect in education property taxes. They then set an appropriate local education property tax rate. The local tax rate is then applied to the assessed value of your property to determine your education property taxes for the year. Municipalities collect education property taxes from their rate payers, and send them to the Province.

All separate school boards in the Province have opted-out of the Alberta School Foundation Fund, which means they requisition and collect property tax money from the Municipalities directly. Any difference between what opted-out school boards collect in requisitions and the per-student funding they are entitled to is adjusted. There is no financial gain or opt-out of the ASFF.

Why do I pay for school taxes when I don’t have children going to school?

The prosperity and general well being of society, or the community we live in, is directly related to the education of its people. For this reason, the costs of education are deemed to be the responsibility of all of society. Your education, for example, if received in Canada, was largely paid for by the previous generation of taxpayers.

Do seniors have to pay education property taxes?

Yes. Seniors who own property must pay education property taxes. In recognition of concerns raised by senior homeowners about year-to-year increases in the education portion of their property taxes, the Education Property Tax Assistance program was introduced. The program provides an annual rebate to senior homeowners who have an increase in the education portion of their property taxes.

Seniors can contact Alberta Seniors and Community Support toll-free at 1-800-642-3853 or 472-7876 in Edmonton, or the Ministry’s website at http://www.seniors.gov.ab.ca for more information on:

• Education Property Tax Assistance for Seniors program
• The Alberta Seniors Benefit
• Other provincial programs and services for seniors