What Calgarians can expect from 2021 fees and taxes

The COVID-19 pandemic sent household and government budgets alike back to the drawing board, and that goes for next year's city taxes and fees, too.

Calgary city council approved a slight decrease in property taxes for the new year, but your tax bill could look different depending on how the value of your home changes. The owner of a single detached home worth the “average” of $455,000 will see the municipal portion of their taxes drop by a little less than one per cent, and would pay an estimated $45 less in property taxes overall.

Average-value condo owners will see a municipal tax decrease to the tune of about three per cent.

The city also decreased non-residential property tax rates, but certain types of businesses will still see a bigger bill because of a steep drop in value among properties such as hotels. Council opted to put one-time money in place so those tax hikes don't exceed 10 per cent.

Calgary Transit fares will be frozen in 2021, leaving the price of riding the bus or Ctrain at $3.50 for adults and $2.40 for youth instead of increasing by 10 cents as planned. Prices for the monthly low-income pass range from $5.30 to $53, and the annual seniors pass will still cost $145.

City pools and recreation centres are currently closed due to provincial public-health restrictions, but recreation fees will also stay the same until, according to a city spokesperson, there's a “better sense of what services and service levels will be permitted under provincial health orders in the long term.”

That means for now, recreation passes and arena and athletic field rentals won't cost more — but they need to be allowed to open again first.

Black, blue and green bin fees will also stay flat instead of increasing in 2021. And water bills for the typical residential metered customer will go down by about two per cent.

Wastewater rates will go up next year, but they're increasing by 4.5 per cent instead of a previously planned hike of slightly more than five per cent. Stormwater rates will stay at 2020 levels.

A planned $1-ticket surcharge on for-profit festivals and events in city parks was postponed this year after widespread event cancellations due to COVID-19. That fee also won't appear in 2021 due to uncertainty about how the pandemic will unfold.