(Cochrane, AB) - The Government of Alberta has announced an increase in education property tax rates for 2025 following a one-year freeze, resulting in higher education tax requisitions for municipalities across the province, including Cochrane.
Each year, the Province of Alberta calculates the amount municipalities must collect from property owners to fund the public education system and senior housing. These amounts are based on property assessment values and include:
• Municipal property taxes: Support essential local services such as fire, RCMP, roads, parks, and community programs.
• Provincial education property taxes: Directed to the provincial government to help fund Alberta’s education system.
• Seniors’ housing property taxes: Contributed to the Rocky View Foundation to support affordable housing for seniors in the region.
Due to higher property values and new development in Cochrane, many property owners will see an increase in the education portion of their property tax bill.
“Cochrane’s total education property tax contribution is increasing from $19.5 million to $24.2 million, which represents a 24% increase,” said Stacey Loe, Executive Director, Corporate Services. “Because of this municipalities across Alberta are generally facing higher education property tax requisitions in 2025 compared to 2024, with the percentage of increase varying considerably depending on the type and location of the municipality and the category of the property.”
Education property tax dollars collected by municipalities are pooled by the Province and distributed to public and separate school boards across Alberta on a per-student basis. These funds support critical components of the education system, including teacher salaries, textbooks and classrooms.
To help residents understand the impact of these changes, Cochrane offers an online Property Tax Estimator that allows property owners to view a breakdown of their estimated taxes for the upcoming year.
For more information and to use the estimator, visit: cochrane.ca/estimator