Media Advisory: Council Approves 2025 Municipal Property Tax Bylaw, Lowering Tax Rate for Residents

Media Advisory
For Immediate Release
May 9, 2025 

Council Approves 2025 Municipal Property Tax Bylaw, Lowering Tax Rate for Residents

Morinville, Alta. – At a Special Meeting of Council on May 6, 2025, Morinville Council approved second and third reading of Bylaw 7/2025, the 2025 Property Tax Bylaw. The Bylaw included a reduced tax rate increase for 2025, lowering the increase from the budget estimate of 5.75% to 1.36%. This was made possible by higher than budgeted assessment values and Council’s allocation of a portion of the 2024 budget surplus to the 2025 Operating Budget.  

Background and Rate Impact 

Council originally approved the 2025 Budget with an estimated 5.75% tax increase. In early 2025, the final aggregate assessment figures were confirmed to be higher than the original estimates, allowing Council to reduce the tax rate increase to 3.23%. During recent deliberations of the Property Tax Bylaw, Council utilized a portion of the surplus from the 2024 financial year to further reduce the tax rate increase to 1.36%. 

• This means a home valued at $350,000 would have originally incurred an estimated increase of $14.30 per month. Based on the approved tax rate bylaw, this increase is now $3.39 per month. 
  
  

• For a commercial property valued at $650,000, the estimated increase has been reduced from $118.36 to $87.96 per month. 
  
  

Individual taxpayers may see the municipal portion vary from the average projected increase due to market adjustments and/or improvements made to their property.  

These increases do not include changes to the Homeland Housing requisition and the educational taxes payable directly to the Government of Alberta as part of the tax notice. The Government of Alberta has recently increased the portion of the education budget collected from local property taxes. In 2024, the education budget was funded 29% by local property taxes collected by municipalities and remitted to the province. In 2025, this amount is increasing to 31.5%, with 2026 expected to reach 33%. The result is an increase in the education property tax rate of 10.9% for 2025. 

Surplus Allocation Breakdown  

The budget surplus for the 2024 fiscal year was $2.7 million. The surplus is not the result of one factor, but rather a reflection of conservative and disciplined use of municipal resources the organization.  

Following Council’s Reserve Policy, Council allocated the surplus in the following manner:  

• $688,626 (25%) of the surplus) to the General Operating Reserve  

• $213,338 to the Snow Removal Reserve  

• $1,000,000 as per the Long-term Operational Plan  

• $105,000 to the Parks, Recreation and Culture Reserve as a parks and recreation transfer  

• $287,642 to Off-Site Levy Reserves   

• $139,314 to the Land Reserve  

• $58,177 in unrealized gains   

• $262,405 for the 2025 tax levy reduction  
  
  

“Through operational efficiencies, prudent budgeting, and strong financial oversight, Morinville has been able to generate surplus funds without impacting service levels,” said Michelle Hay, Chief Administrative Officer. 

“The decisions made in allocating the surplus reflect Council’s ongoing efforts to respond to the financial pressures facing our community, while keeping in mind Morinville’s operations and Long-Term Plan,” said Mayor Simon Boersma. “I appreciate the work of Administration and Council in exploring ways to balance the needs of our community and support residents wherever possible. Thank you to our residents for continuing to support our community—your contributions help us move forward together.” 

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Media contact(s): 

Tracy Dalzell-Heise | Manager, Communications & Legislative Services | Town of Morinville   

P: 780-939-7639 | C: 587-341-5889 | tracydalzell-heise@morinville.ca 

Travis Nosko | Interim General Manager | Town of Morinville  
P: 780-939-7861 | C: 587-340-2205 | travis.nosko@morinville.ca