The Town of Bashaw council approved its 2026 tax rate bylaw at its regular meeting May 20.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Theresa Fuller presented councillors with the draft bylaw that would authorize the collection of local taxes in 2026. She added the tax rate bylaw is directly based on the 2026 budget councillors approved at a previous meeting.

The CAO also observed that staff went through the assessment and double-checked it, in addition to getting physical tax bills ready for mail-out. All they were waiting for was council to approve the tax rate bylaw.

The bylaw itself notes that the estimated municipal expenditures for 2026 are $2,441,580.67 and further noted that residential assessment in Bashaw was valued at almost $76 million, with non-residential assessment at just over $22 million.

The bylaw noted that

estimated municipal revenues and transfers from all sources other than taxation were estimated at $1,522,968.47. A balance of $918,612.20 was necessary to be raised through local taxation.

The breakdown provided stated that the residential and farmland tax levy was $661,400.78, followed by non-residential plus machinery/equipment at $257,211.42, which combined met the required dollar amount for local taxation.

Many local councils have been pointing out throughout the 2026 budget season the noticeable Government of Alberta tax hikes that are collected by municipalities but remain under Edmonton’s control.

The Bashaw tax rate bylaw noted that Bashaw’s Alberta School Foundation Fund, or education tax as it’s commonly called, for residential properties was $196,887.61, while non-residential was $84,393.19. The provincial government’s senior foundation requisition, which goes to fund senior housing for the community, was listed at $3,100.

Lastly, the tax rate bylaw noted that the designated industrial properties tax was listed at $201.48.

Councillors passed all readings of the bylaw necessary to bring it into effect immediately.