Regional properties in long-term arrears avoid tax auction

By Medicine Hat News on April 6, 2021.

Another year has passed with no property tax auctions in either Medicine Hat or Cypress County.

The annual event, set for March 31 each year, only proceeds if properties appear on the tax recovery list at the time the auction is set to begin. Administrators for both the city and county confirmed to the News on Monday that all four properties included on a preliminary list were removed in days leading up, either by owners or lenders making arrangements to clear up amounts owning.

In Medicine Hat, a property account must be at least four years in arrears before being offered for sale at auction. Minimum bids are set at market value, and the proceeds used to clear up back taxes, with the remainder forwarded to former owners less a processing fee.

Cypress County administrators also announced their auction, set for the same day, was cancelled.

In 2020, two city properties proceeded to auction, but no qualified bids were received.

Only one property has changed hands via such an auction in Medicine Hat in 20 years.