A tax hike is on the table in Okotoks next year, but the Town says lower utility rates will help offset the increase.
Next year’s municipal budget will be discussed by Town council during a meeting on Tuesday (Nov. 19). The meeting starts at 8 a.m. in council chambers and can be livestreamed at okotoks.ca.
The 2025 budget calls for a 4.8 per cent tax increase, according to information on the Town’s website. If approved, it will amount to a yearly increase of $134.48 on the tax bill of the average Okotoks home valued at $663,000.
According to the proposed budget, utility rates are expected to drop for the typical customer by $110.64 per year, or $18.44 over a two-month billing period, the Town said.
The drop in utility rates is expected, in part, due to a change to waste collection that will see household waste picked up every two weeks, instead of weekly.
That change is expected to begin in the spring, along with the start of a new agreement that will see recycling paid for by the extended producer responsibility program, rather than by local ratepayers.
The Town said when the tax increase is combined with the decrease in utility rates, the average homeowner is expected to pay $23.88 more than last year, or $1.99 more per month.
Other changes proposed in the 2025 budget include replacing dog and urban hen licensing with a mandatory ID program for dogs and a one-time fee for urban hens, and lowering fees for businesses.
The Town is proposing a flat business licence fee to replace the tiered rates that are currently in place, where it can cost a storefront business from $200 to $510 for a licence, depending on the number of staff.
A one per cent increase in property tax brings is about $367,000 in additional revenue, according to the Town.
