Workshops and Consultations

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Open Workshops and Consultations

The Community Organization Property Tax Exemption Regulation (COPTER) expires on January 31, 2010.  Alberta Municipal Affairs is now seeking feedback on three outstanding concerns that were identified during the comprehensive consultation process held in 2008.

1. Deadlines for Applications and for Submitting Supporting documents

Stakeholders are being asked to consider moving the deadline to submit an application to September 30, and the deadline to submit all relevant supporting documents to November 30.  Currently, the dates for submitting applications and supporting documents are November 30 and February 15, respectively. During the 2008 consultations, ministry representatives heard from stakeholders that these dates do not provide municipalities with enough time to incorporate exemption decisions into their budgeting and assessment roll processes.  

2. Decision Making Authority

Stakeholders are being asked to consider whether to incorporate an explicit authority for a municipality to reject an application.  While the authority to reject an application is implied, some stakeholders have indicated that a municipality should have explicit authority to reject applications when either applications or supporting documents are incomplete, or are not submitted by the respective deadline.

3. Extending Deadlines

Stakeholders are being asked to consider whether a municipality should have the authority to extend the deadlines to ensure that each applicant is given an opportunity to apply and provide relevant documentation.  In some circumstances, stakeholders have indicated that applications or supporting documents (such as audited financial statements), may not be available by the respective deadline.

Any changes made to COPTER will be implemented for the 2010 assessment year.  The regulation can be accessed at the Queen’s Printer website here.

COPTER Stakeholder Questionnaire

Each year, the assessment year modifiers (AYMs) used in calculating property assessments for regulated industrial properties are updated by the Assessment Services Branch (ASB) of Alberta Municipal Affairs.  AYMs are intended to reflect annual changes that have occurred in the costs of constructing property.  ASB contracts the services of engineering firms to provide information on annual construction cost changes in the various industrial sectors.  As part of this process, ASB asks for feedback from stakeholders on the construction cost changes received from engineering firms, and on the proposed AYMs.  This feedback is used in finalizing recommendations to the Minister for the AYMs.

Construction Cost Changes Review