Homeowners and business owners in Camrose, Alberta will see a larger-than-usual increase on their property tax bills this year following a decision by the provincial government to raise school tax rates. On March 17, 2026, the City of Camrose notified residents that while the city collects these taxes, the higher costs are a direct result of the newest provincial budget rather than local spending decisions.
The Government of Alberta is raising the education tax rate for residential and farmland properties to $2.84 for every $1,000 of equalized assessment, up from the previous rate of $2.72. Business owners will also see an increase, with the non-residential rate moving from $4.00 to $4.17 per $1,000 of equalized assessment, according to details from MNP.
Local officials with the City of Camrose explained that they are required by law to collect these funds and send them directly to the province to help pay for operating costs for schools. Even though the education tax appears on the local property tax notice, the city council does not have any control over how much the province decides to charge residents.
Across the province, these changes are expected to bring in a total of $3.6 billion for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which is a 7.2 percent increase over the year before. Residents are encouraged to look for their official tax notices this May, which will show the specific breakdown between the money that stays in the community for local services and the money that goes to the provincial government.
