Property taxes could rise 15% next year as Calgary council weighs city's costs
Preliminary budget numbers show a homeowner with a median-valued property paying an extra $52 per month in 2027, with larger hikes expected in years to come.
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Calgary homeowners could see property taxes jump 15% next year if preliminary budget numbers released Tuesday become reality—a jump that would cost a household with a median-valued property ($706,000) an extra $52 monthly, plus another $58 per month in combined utility fee increases by 2028.
City council unanimously voted to release the confidential budget scenario publicly, framing the figures as a starting point for November deliberations rather than a final proposal. "There's been a lot of discussion about a specific property tax number, and I want to be clear: that number is not a proposed budget," said Chief Administrative Officer David Duckworth. "It was simply the result of an early look at potential investments that are needed to sustain the services that Calgarians rely on."
The 15% increase sits at the higher end of a range. City officials outlined three scenarios: less than 4% would lead to worse service levels; 4.2% would "defer pressure into the future" while postponing infrastructure upgrades and emergency response expansion; roughly 20% would fund improved services across the board. The preliminary numbers suggest 15% (2027), 12.5% (2028), 9% (2029), and 6% (2030)—a compounding increase totalling roughly 42.5% over the four-year period.
Last year's budget process began with a 6% increase proposal before council lowered it to 1.2%. Calgary has one of the lowest property tax rates among large Canadian cities and among the lowest per-capita operating costs, according to the city. Police have requested a 19% operational increase and a 73% capital budget increase over four years, including hiring more than 300 additional officers by 2030.
Councillor John Pantazopoulos, who brought the motion to release budget information, said the public disclosure allows for real conversation. "Fundamentally, now I can finally have that conversation with people in Ward 6 and across Calgary and say, 'What outcome do you want?' And as a result of that, then we can narrow down to a conversation about percentages." Councillor Kim Tyers said she does not believe Calgarians will support a 15% increase.
The public draft budget will be released November 10.
What specific services would a 4.2% increase preserve versus a 15% increase remove?
How do these proposed increases compare to tax rates in other large Canadian cities?
What happens if council cannot settle on a number by the end of November budget deliberations?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
By how much could Calgary property taxes rise in 2027?
Property taxes could rise 15% in 2027 if preliminary budget numbers released on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 become reality.
How much extra would a homeowner with a median-valued Calgary property pay monthly in 2027?
A homeowner with a median-valued property ($706,000) would pay an extra $52 per month in 2027, plus another $58 per month in combined utility fee increases by 2028.
What property tax increases does Calgary's preliminary budget project for 2028 through 2030?
The preliminary numbers project 12.5% in 2028, 9% in 2029, and 6% in 2030, totalling roughly 42.5% over the four-year period from 2027 to 2030.
When will Calgary's public draft budget be released?
The public draft budget will be released on November 10.
