Please Check Your Mailbox or Email for Your Property Tax Notice
The Town of Ponoka 2024 combined assessment and property tax notices have been mailed or emailed to all property owners in Ponoka this week.
Citizens have until Wednesday, July 31, 2024 to pay property taxes without penalty. The 2024 Tax Rate Bylaw No. 03-2024, which was passed by Town Council last week, sets municipal property taxes based on the revenue required to fund Town services approved in the 2024 Town of Ponoka Budget.
The property tax penalty dates and fees that are outlined in the Property Tax Penalty Bylaw No. 452-21 for property taxes not paid by July 31 annually are:
- August 1: Three per cent of the current year’s unpaid taxes
- October 1: Seven per cent of the current year’s unpaid taxes
- January 1: 10 per cent of the total outstanding balance for unpaid taxes
After incorporating current property value assessments for residential and commercial properties in Ponoka, the 2024 property tax rate equates to an annual increase of about $41 per $100,000 of assessed property value for residential properties, and $53 per $100,000 of assessed value for commercial properties. That is equivalent to a 4.9 per cent increase in municipal property tax revenue for 2024, which is required to help offset inflationary costs and ensure continued reliable delivery of municipal services.
Municipal Budget Funds Town Services
Municipal budget funds a long list of Town services that citizens rely on, including indoor and outdoor recreation facilities that enhance the quality of life in Ponoka; fire, police and bylaw enforcement services that help keep our community safe; the maintenance and improvement of roads, sidewalks and other essential Town-owned infrastructure; and much more.
In addition to collecting municipal property taxes, municipalities are also required by legislation to collect and fully remit the following taxes on behalf of the provincial government through the annual property tax notice mailed to property owners:
- School taxes which are sent directly to Alberta Education and St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Separate School Division;
- Designated Industrial Property Tax which is paid by designated industrial property taxpayers only; and
- Rimoka Housing Foundation Requisition.
If you have not received a copy of your property tax notice by Friday, June 7, please contact the Tax Clerk at 403-783-0127 or by email at taxes@ponoka.ca and you will be provided with a copy of your assessment and property tax notice.
How to Pay Your Property Taxes
• Monthly Property Tax Payment Plan – Also known as the Tax Instalment Payment Plan (TIPP), property taxes can be paid in monthly payments that are withdrawn on the first or 16th day of the month. For more information or to sign up, please contact the Tax Clerk at 403-783-0127, taxes@ponoka.ca or by clicking here.
• Online Banking – To pay using online banking, sign into your online bank account and search for ‘Town of Ponoka Taxes’ as a bill ‘payee.’ The ‘account number’ will be your roll number, which can be found at the top of your tax notice. If your account number is not accepted, you may have to add one or more zeroes to the beginning of your roll number to satisfy your bank’s requirements. Online banking payments can take up to five business days to process. You are responsible for submitting the payment early enough for it to be processed by July 31.
• Mail – If you choose to mail your property tax payment using a cheque or bank draft, ensure the envelope is postmarked by the due date to avoid penalties. Please mail your payment to: Town of Ponoka, 200, 5604 50 Street, Ponoka, AB, T4J 1G5;
• At Your Bank – You can bring your tax notice with you and make your payment in person directly through your bank;
• Credit Card Using Option Pay – Option Pay is a third-party service provider that facilitates online credit card payments (for a processing fee). To use Option Pay for your property taxes, please click here and click on ‘Credit Card Using Option Pay.’
• Drop Box at the Town Office – There is a drop box in the west entrance at the Town Office (5604 50 Street) available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. where residents can drop off their property tax payment using a cheque or bank draft. The drop box is unavailable on statutory holidays when the Town Office is closed.
If you have any questions about your property taxes, please call the Tax Clerk at 403-783-0127 or email taxes@ponoka.ca.