June Utility Bill Newsletter

Understanding Your 2025 Property Assessment and Taxation Notice

Residents of Olds have received their 2025 Property Assessment and Taxation Notices, issued in mid-May.

Property Assessment

Your annual property assessment reflects the estimated market value of your property as of July 1, 2024, as mandated by the Municipal Government Act. This value represents what your property might have sold for on the open market on that date. It's important to note that real estate market conditions may have changed since then, and such changes will be reflected in future assessments.

If you have concerns about your assessment, please visit the Town’s website to submit a complaint, at Assessments.

Additional Fees Included in the Tax Assessment

Senior’s Requisition

This amount is collected by the Town of Olds and paid directly to Mountain View Seniors Housing to support seniors housing in our area.

2025 Provincial Education Requisition

This amount is collected by the Town of Olds and paid directly to the Province of Alberta to help fund the public education system. The amount each municipality contributes is based on the equalized assessment value of all properties in that area.

For 2025, the education tax amount increased by 17% for the average residential property in Olds. This increase is a significant contributing factor to the higher tax amount many property owners are seeing this year.

2025 Financial Update

This document is typically released early-to-mid June and can be found at News and Notices and provides an accessible snapshot of the 2024 financial year and our fiscal strategy in 2025 to deal with various issues and challenges facing the Town, including the debt remaining from O-NET and ongoing infrastructure issues. It also lays the groundwork for our longer-term plans to improve our financial health.

Municipal Enforcement Update – June is Our Busiest Season!

As summer arrives and more residents spend time outdoors, June marks the busiest season for our Municipal Enforcement team. With the warmer weather comes a noticeable rise in bylaw-related concerns, including complaints, investigations, and enforcement activity.

While issuing tickets is not our preferred approach, our team traditionally responds to issues on a complaint-driven basis, where residents contact us, and we investigate accordingly.

Beginning this year, however, we are shifting toward a more proactive enforcement model. Our priority is to help ensure the Town of Olds remains a safe, respectful, and welcoming place for everyone. Here are some of the most common concerns we address in June:

Yard Care & Naturalized Areas

Property owners are responsible for maintaining their lawns and adjacent alleys. Grass and weeds must be cut regularly. Noxious weeds like Canada thistle, leafy spurge, and common tansy must be removed under Alberta’s Weed Control Act. Other common weeks like dandelions and foxtail barley are not considered noxious, with removal not being enforced.

The Town is also naturalizing select public areas to support pollinators and reduce long-term costs. These spaces are different from private yard care and follow ecological best practices.

Street Parking & RVs

Public streets are for everyone. RVs may park for up to 48 hours to allow for loading/unloading and cleaning before or after a trip. When parking, please be courteous to your neighbors and not obstruct driveways or sidewalks. For more information on parking regulations, please visit www.olds.ca/parking.

Animal Concerns

Due to extreme pressures on animal rescue centres, shelters, and pet charities, the Town of Olds is unable to re-home abandoned animals. To help reduce the number of lost, stray, or at large animals, all owners are strongly encouraged to ensure pets are properly licensed, tagged, and always wearing a collar with identification. Visit Animal Services, Pets and Licences for more information.

When an animal has ID, it can be quickly returned to its owner if found by a member of the public minimizing stress on the animal. If you are interested in fostering, please reach out to the numbers below and we’d be happy to share more information.

Take a moment to review local bylaws and help us avoid unnecessary complaints or fines.

Questions or Concerns?

Municipal Enforcement Administration: 403-556-8880
24 Hour Complaint Line (Non Emergency): 587-796-1193
Learn more: www.olds.ca/bylaws

Let’s work together to keep our community vibrant this summer!