Alberta's seniors could soon be able to push their property tax worries further down the road.
What was a private member's bill to allow seniors to defer their property taxes, is now getting government support and could be introduced as a government bill in the spring session of the legislature.
The bill would allow seniors to defer paying property taxes until they sell their house or until the home is sold after their death.
The bill was introduced as a private member's bill, but speaking at the end of the legislative session earlier this week, Premier Alison Redford said it would likely be brought back as a government bill.
"We think it is a really important piece of public policy. It is a piece of legislation that George VanderBurg introduced when he was a private member and now he is the minister of seniors."
Redford said she looks forward to seeing it come forward as a government bill. Minister of Municipal Affairs Doug Griffiths said the same thing at a meeting of the Capital Region Board this week, but he said VanderBurg is leading the effort.
The private member's bill VanderBurg proposed would have allowed any senior to apply to the government to take part in the deferral. The only condition would be that the senior would have to have at least 25 per cent equity in their home.
Dick Tansey, chair of the St. Albert chapter of Seniors United Now, a group that has pushed for this type of law, said news that the bill is moving forward is great.
Tansey said a senior's property bill could be $300 or more per month.
"If they can take that $300 a month and use it for disposable income to meet their other needs then it is a win-win."
Tansey said seniors, who are often house rich but cash poor, are sometimes forced to sell and this would avoid that.
"There are so many benefits to having a senior live in their own home and their own community where they have lived for years," he said. "It is a win for the government."
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse said city council would be happy to see the province bring in the idea.
"We have already sent a letter of support to the minster on that," he said. "We absolutely support it."
Change to funding
Griffiths also told the Capital Region board that his department is looking at making some changes to how municipalities are funded. He said right now municipalities receive funding from several provincial government ministries and he is trying to get a full picture of the support they receive.
"If you only look at it department by department it doesn't give you the broader picture of the client you are trying to serve."
Griffiths said Thursday the government wants to provide steady, predictable funding to municipalities so they can plan better. He said he is still gathering information, but would like to see the province be more direct in how it funds municipalities without any needless red tape.
"The intent right now is not to change the amount of money they might receive, but to ensure they don't have as many hoops to jump through to receive it."
On that proposal Crouse said he would wait and see. He said as long as the funding remains the same he thinks a more streamlined approach would be a good one.
