Premier Smith: Please pay your property taxes.

I have talked about this many times before and I will continue to do until there is a resolution. This isn’t partisan, it’s just fairness. We need Premier Smith to pay her property taxes: https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/michael-janz-alberta-govt-needs-to-pay-its-property-taxes-too

 

Sign up here to help us stop suburban sprawl: www.michaeljanz.ca/stopsprawl

We can’t have low taxes and 400 neighbourhoods of low-density development. Urban sprawl COSTS the city money while redevelopment EARNS money. 

If you want to see lower taxes, if you want to see a more sustainable city – not just environmentally, but economically – a city that’s more exciting, that’s more vibrant, that has more things to do, that has better services, you’ll be excited to learn about how Edmonton plans to change the way we grow, curb urban sprawl and build in and not out.

In city speak, substantial completion. For too long Edmonton has grown out and out and out without the population density or tax revenue to sustain the enormous costs of service that comes with low-density suburban growth. This means higher carbon emissions, more cars, more interchanges, more bridges, more school closures more debt, fewer services, and much higher taxes. Every time we put a new house out in the suburbs in a new wetland and not in the core of our city where we have the services, we have the schools, we have the roads, we have the libraries, we have the amenities, we know that that house will lose the taxpayer money. It will never generate enough taxes to pay for itself. These changes will take decades, but the best time to start is now.

Analysis shows that there are approximately 75,000 undeveloped low density lots throughout the developing area which will provide sufficient supply through to the 1.5 million population horizon. Substantial completion will also ensure medium and high density developments are finished in the developing area which will help ensure there are homes available at a range of price points. Implementing The City Plan, including the substantial completion standard to manage growth, will be more cost effective for Edmontonians, reducing the tax levy requirement by an anticipated eight percent in the long term compared with our current business-as-usual approach.

Learn more about curbing urban sprawl via Substantial Completion from my colleague Councillor Ashley Salvador: 
https://www.ashleysalvador.com/post/guiding-growth-for-complete-communities

Learn more about Zoning Bylaw Renewal from her as well: https://www.ashleysalvador.com/post/revamping-the-rulebook-zoning-bylaw-renewal

Learn about the public engagement process from my colleague Councillor Hamilton: https://www.sarahhamilton.ca/post/zone-on-dig-in-sort-out

No more provincial dollars for private interests:

The UCP continue to take funding away from cities, classrooms and hospitals but always seems to find the time and resources to pad the private purses. We can’t have a provincial government that puts billionaire hockey team owners ahead of you and me… (not sure if you saw my joint op-ed with Scott Hennig, the <checks notes> CEO of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (the left and right loathe corporate welfare!): https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-tax-dollars-for-calgary-arena-was-wrong-funding-the-oilers-wont-make-it-right

Province will take more than $575 million from Edmonton property owners, almost $50 million more than last year.

As your Councillor, my responsibility is to advocate for Edmontonians and ensure that the decisions made at all levels of government are fair and transparent. This week, Edmonton City Council approved the 2025 property tax bylaw, a necessary step to fund essential services like public safety, infrastructure, and community programs. But within this decision lies a troubling reality: the provincial government continues to shift its financial burden onto Edmontonians, making you pay more without giving our city the support it deserves.

For a typical property in Edmonton:

Total Property Tax: $4,720. 

Education portion: $1,170

That is roughly 25% of your property tax bill going directly to the provincial government. This money is NOT directly provided to Edmonton Public or Edmonton Catholic schools, but flows into the general provincial revenue.

The Province’s Tax Shift

A property tax bill consists of two parts: The City’s municipal portion and the provincial portion. The municipal portion reflects the direction set by Council in November, but the provincial portion – determined unilaterally by the Government of Alberta – was only communicated to The City at the end of February. The Province will take more than $575 million from Edmonton property owners, almost $50 million more than last year.

This year, the provincial government raised its share of property taxes on Edmonton homeowners – without consultation or input from those affected. The result? The average Edmonton homeowner will pay approximately $90 more per year. If it was not for this increase, your property tax increase would be 2% lower.

The True Cost to Edmonton

It’s not just about the higher tax bills – it’s about where your money is going. While the province will collect hundreds of millions of dollars from Edmonton’s property taxes in 2025, this money will not be directly reinvested in our city’s services and infrastructure. Edmontonians contribute significantly to Alberta’s economic success, yet we do not receive our fair share in return. This means fewer resources for our communities, our public transit, and our emergency services.

A Call for Fairness and Accountability

Edmonton, like 343 other municipalities in Alberta, is forced to collect provincial taxes without any reimbursement for the cost of doing so. This is inefficient, unfair, and an unnecessary administrative burden. Yesterday, I introduced the following motion, which passed:

That Administration work with Alberta Municipalities to bring forward a resolution to the fall convention to separate the Provincial Education Tax collection from municipal property taxes. (Carried by a vote of 9 to 4)

Moving Forward in Partnership

We need a true partnership where decisions are made collaboratively, not imposed without discussion. We need a system where the financial burden is shared equitably, not offloaded onto cities like Edmonton.

I want to assure you that I will continue fighting for fairness, transparency, and accountability. While we navigate these fiscal challenges, my commitment remains the same: ensuring Edmontonians get the resources, respect, and reinvestment they deserve.

Let’s work together to build a stronger, more equitable future for our city.

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Background:

Calgary City Council is leading the way and they need our support: https://mayorgondek.ca/province-inflicts-steep-property-tax-increase-on-calgarians/

Take a very close look at your education property tax bill this year. Here are the collection amounts (Government of Alberta document): https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/74aa70ca-c77e-46c0-8fd8-ee79b8c8b42a/resource/3706ad4a-e6a3-4cc9-a866-011523bd39e6/download/ma-education-property-tax-requisition-comparison-report-2025.pdf)

City News: 

https://edmonton.citynews.ca/video/2025/04/22/edmonton-city-councillor-calls-out-province-over-education-property-tax/

CTV News:

City councillors say they are “sick and tired” of being blamed for tax increases for which they’re not responsible.

Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz said Wednesday it’s a confusing system and allows the provincial government to raise taxes without taking the blame.

“When Edmontonians open up their tax bill and they see a big jump, they need to understand that’s not going to snow removal, that’s not going to potholes, that’s not going to police, that’s not going to fire, that’s going to Premier Smith,” Janz told media.

City council passed a motion to work with the Alberta Municipalities organization to develop a proposal that would see the two tax streams collected separately, an idea Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver has dismissed.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/city-council-sets-property-tax-increase-at-57-for-2025/

Over 100,000 neighbours chose this city over the last two years. Why? Great schools, services, relative affordability, and an absence of traffic. It’s like Connor McDavid said when interviewed about whether he liked living here: “Edmonton Checks a lot of boxes" and is "stress-free living. it’s a really convenient city.”

For decades, Edmonton has been building major infrastructure, mega-rec centers, and major road projects. Future City Councils need to focus on renewing what we already have. 

Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz said the city has already invested in major projects like LRT expansions and recreation centres, but Edmonton will need to wait to pay those off before building anything new.

“Which makes sense. Anybody who is deciding to run for mayor and promising to build another recreation center — well, there’s no money for it. I think it’s about managing expectations for Edmontonians,” he told Postmedia.

“We have really invested in building our city over the last 20 years, and now the next decade is going to be spent just paying off and enjoying those things.”

Edmonton’s original 2023-2026 capital budget, he pointed out, includes $1.8 billion for roads and bridges — more than one-quarter of the entire four-year capital budget.

Janz said Tuesday council agreed to go forward with some big new spending — such as Lewis Farms recreation centre, which he didn’t support — but now that spending on new facilities and upgraded roads are approved, the city will need to pay it off. 

“These are things that Edmontonians wanted. We’re a growing city. We want services. We want amenities. And the reality is, they cost money,” he said.