Regional Briefs: Cypress County expects to collect 97% of oil and gas property tax this year

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 26, 2021.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Cypress County is on pace to collect almost all current-year property tax owed on oil and gas accounts by the end of 2021, administrators told county councillors Tuesday.

During the presentation of the July financial statements at council’s regular meeting, interim corporate services director Steven Toews said at the mid-summer tax due date, about 87 per cent of revenue had been collected.

“We’re forecasting that we’ll be at 97 per cent by Dec. 31, which is where we’ve been at traditionally, but it’s a little bit different with the timing,” he said.

For the past two years, two major gas producers in the region, Canlin Energy and Pinecliff energy, have negotiated agreements to move on to the county’s tax instalment payment plan.

Those agreements – signed with the county during an extreme drop in gas prices in 2019 – are being honoured, said Toews.

Back taxes on oil and gas properties became a major political issue in 2019 with the association of Alberta counties stating unpaid oilpatch tax bills totalled $245 million across Alberta in early 2021.

The year earlier, the Alberta government brought in a series of tax incentives on new activity while pausing changes to an assessment model that energy companies argued was unfair.

Boil-water advisory in Foremost

A “precautionary” boil-water advisory has been issued for the village of Foremost, Alberta Health Services announced Wednesday.

It states that until further notice residents of the area should bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for brushing teeth, preparing food or ice, or for human consumption.

Boiling is not required for laundry and bathing, but AHS recommends using hand sanitizer after washing and drying hands with soap prior to eating.

There was no immediate information about the reason behind the advisory.

On Tuesday, AHS also issued a blue-green algae advisory for the Milk River Reservoir in the County of Warner. Residents should avoid swimming in the water where algae is visible, or using the water for cooking or drinking as boiling does not remove toxins.

Bridge, culvert work

Work is proceeding on three culvert projects in Cypress County this month while one is well underway, according to an infrastructure update to council this week.

At the same time, regional MLA Michaela Glasgo is promoting that the province has approved two new Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program grants in northern Cypress County.

That work, located on Township Road 160, near Schuler, and Township Road 150, near Vale, will benefit from $495,000 toward the projects’ total budget of $660,000.

Two Newell County projects, worth $870,000 in total, will receive $653,000 in provincial funding.

Vape rules

Saskatchewan will begin taxing “vape” products like cigarettes Sept. 1, it announced Wednesday, as well as new limitations where fruit or sugary products can be sold.

A release states the rules are aimed at dissuading young people from using the products. The tax rate will rise from current six per cent rate to 20 per cent next week, the same level as traditional tobacco.

The nicotine-based products also will no longer be offered at stores open to anyone under 18.

Rules in Alberta took effect last month to limit advertising and promotion in convenience stores, but did not ban sales in those types of locations.

Sales are banned in hospitals, post-secondary institutions and stores that include a pharmacy.

A new schedule of fines for retailers that sell to youth was brought in as well as fines for those under 18 who posses vape products.

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