Photo: Stettler has scheduled a Nov. 17 tax-recovery auction for two residential lots and four manufactured homes, though owners can stop the process by paying all arrears before the sale. Rural Alberta Report - C. Bowman

Stettler town council voted unanimously at its Aug. 18 regular meeting to hold the auction Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at the Town Office.

The properties include two residential lots and four designated manufactured homes. Their combined 2026 assessed value is $564,910.

Council used the current assessment values as the reserve bids. The proposed terms require payment by cash or certified cheque.

A reserve bid is the minimum amount the municipality is prepared to accept at auction. Alberta’s Municipal Government Act requires the reserve to be set as close as reasonably possible to market value.

The auction is part of the municipal tax-recovery process. It does not mean the properties have been sold or that ownership has already changed.

Property owners may stop the process by paying all tax arrears before the auction begins.

The Town must notify the affected owners and publish the required auction notice before the sale.

If a property does not sell at the auction, the Town may apply to take title under the Municipal Government Act.

The former owner can still regain title by paying the outstanding taxes before the municipality later sells the property to someone else.

The two residential properties account for $349,880 of the combined assessment. The four manufactured homes account for $215,030.

Municipal tax recovery follows different timelines depending on the property type. The Town’s meeting report noted that designated manufactured homes can enter the auction process after a shorter arrears period than other real estate.

The public auction is scheduled for Nov. 17, but the final list may change if arrears are cleared before the sale.