Sue Sterkenburg, city assessor manager, provides council a presentation on this year's property tax assessments, noting that assessment notices will be mailed out Feb. 27.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The 2026 property assessment results show the overall medium market changes for single-family homes in Medicine Hat has increased by 7.5 per cent, and that will be reflected in upcoming assessment notices.
During a council meeting Tuesday, city staff presented the 2026 property assessment results leading up to the July 1, 2025 valuation date. Hatters will be mailed property tax assessments notices on Feb. 27 and will be asked to make their payment by June 30.
After receiving assessment notices property owners will have a 60-day window, which ends May 6, to make any complaints or file or an appeal if they are in disagreement with an assessment.
Key findings show the property value for condos grew by 9.6 per cent, and manufactured home units increased by 6.9 per cent. This is in comparison to tri-plex and four-plex style properties, which only increased by 1.2 per cent.
Non-residential properties experienced an overall median increase of 3 per cent, and commercial properties experienced a 2 per cent change.
The average increase for industrial properties is reported at 4 per cent, while hotels and motel properties experienced an average of a 5.5 per cent change.
In April, the property tax bylaw will go forward to council for consideration, and at this time the tax rate will be approved for the year.
The assessment shows a total of 29,110 total properties within Medicine Hat, which includes 26,357 resident properties and farmlands, as well as 185 multi-family properties with more than five units.
“When the assessor assigns a dollar value, they are looking at two types of values, market value or regulated value,” said Sue Sterkenburg, city assessor manager. “That market value is using Alberta land title changes and the regulated value is using provincial regulated rates.”
Sterkenburg says the majority of the properties in the city set the market value and the assessor will use mass appraisal, which is an estimate that reflects market conditions within similar types of properties in similar municipalities.
Additionally, said Sterkenburg, properties are assessed in three categories – cost, sales and the income approach.
The city also has 280 accounts that are assessed using regulated value, which includes approximately 110 designated farm properties located within city limits.
Beginning July 1 monthly penalties will start to accrue for any unpaid taxes.
This penalty is charged at a rate of 8.75 per cent in July and jumps up an additional 1.25 per cent each following month.
The city is expecting to collect $118 million in tax revenue this year.
