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(Image Credit: Curtis Galbraith)
By Curtis Galbraith
City Hall

Smaller impact for education tax in Grande Prairie, but could change next year

May 20, 2026 | 6:04 AM

The education portion of property tax bills is going up 6.7 per cent in Grande Prairie this year.

The average increase across Alberta is 15 per cent.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says “an assessment-based equation” was used by the province to calculate the increase.

“Our assessment was relatively small in the increase; therefore, the increase in the provincial requisition didn’t reflect a big increase compared to other municipalities.”

“That being said, we anticipate that next year’s requisition will reflect a larger assessment increase and expect that that requisition, on behalf of the province, could be significantly larger.”

The provincial government included an increase in the education portion of property taxes in the 2026 budget.

The city’s chief financial officer, Danielle Whiteway, says while Grande Prairie’s increase was 6.7 per cent, Calgary’s was closer to 20 per cent.

“Next year, and based on assessments, you will see a shift in that, and if the province does increase another 15 per cent, we’re very much likely to see higher than 6.7 per cent.”

“I think one of the keys there is that 40 per cent of the increase this year, on average, a resident will see is from the province.”

Mayor Jackie Clayton says that on the average tax bill in Grande Prairie of $250 per month for the average home, $100 would go to the province.

“And the province has made it clear that municipalities are able to indicate that specific amount, so you will see on your tax bill, in bright yellow and red colours, that amount that’s being requisitioned through municipalities, but paid to the province.”

Council gave final approval to its new property tax bylaw at its last meeting. The municipal portion of property taxes is set to go up 4.34 per cent this year.

by Curtis Galbraith