If you have any questions regarding your property assessment, you are encouraged to contact the Assessor (Logan Wehlage at Benchmark Assessment Consultants) prior to filing a written complaint.   Your property details will be reviewed, information provided, and If the Assessor determines an error has been made, your assessment will be revised and an amended property tax notice would be issued.  

If there is still a disagreement with the assessed value or classification after discussions with the Assessor, there is a formal appeal process as outlined in the Municipal Government Act and Matters Relating to Assessment Complaints Regulations.  

An Assessment Review Board (ARB) hearing will be scheduled where the assessment and all relevant facts will be reviewed by a Council-appointed board who have received the Provincially-required training. The ARB will make a ruling on the complaint, which may include a lowering or status quo of the assessment. If there is an assessment change, the Municipal District then re-issues a new tax notice with the associated changes.

Generally speaking, the complaint process involves:

  • Filing a written complaint (using the prescribed form) detailing why you believe your assessment is incorrect within the time period specified on the “Combined Assessment and Tax Notice."  
  • The complaint form must be completed in full – including the reason(s) for a complaint.   Be prepared to present evidence at the Assessment Review Board hearing.
  • Submitting the appropriate filing fee payable to the Municipal District.   Council has set the complaint filing fee of $50.00 per residential\farmland parcel.
  • These documents must be sent to the Clerk of the Local Assessment Review Board for the MD of Willow Creek # 26 prior to the “Assessment Appeal Deadline” date noted on your Combined Assessment and Tax Notice.  Failure to comply with the instructions as noted on the form will nullify your complaint.

 

If the Assessment Review Board makes a decision in your favour, the complaint fee(s) will be refunded.  If the complainant withdraws the complaint, due to an agreement with the Assessor to make a correction regarding any issue or matter under complaint, the complaint fee will be refunded.

Please note you can only appeal your property assessment – not the taxes.

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