So, that yellow or white envelope from the City of Calgary just landed in your mailbox. Or maybe you're like me and you saw the email notification pop up while you were trying to drink your first coffee of the morning. Honestly, for most of us, "property assessment" is just a fancy phrase for "how much more money does the city want this year?"
But here’s the thing about the 2026 Calgary city property assessment: it’s weirdly calm. After years of the market feeling like a runaway train, things have finally leveled off. If you’re used to seeing your home value jump by 10% or 15% every January, you might want to sit down. This year, the typical residential change is just one per cent.
Yeah, you read that right. One. Per cent.
The Return of the "Balanced Market" (Basically)
The City Assessor, Eddie Lee, called this a "return to a more balanced market." Basically, the frantic bidding wars and the massive influx of people moving from Ontario and BC have stabilized. We’re still growing, obviously—Calgary is never boring—but the supply is starting to catch up with the demand.
If you own a single-family home, your median assessment likely sits around $706,000 now. Last year it was $697,000. It's a nudge, not a shove.
But wait. If you own a condo, you might actually see a decrease. On average, residential condos in Calgary saw their assessments drop by about 3%. It’s a bit of a slap in the face if you were hoping for equity growth, but it could mean a break on your tax bill. Meanwhile, the real "winners" (if you want to call them that) are people owning multi-residential rental apartments. Those assessments jumped by 8% because, let's face it, everyone needs a place to rent and there still aren't enough of them.
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Why Your Assessment Isn't What You Could Sell For Today
This is the part that trips everyone up. Your 2026 assessment is actually a "look back" in time. By law, the City has to value your property based on a specific snapshot: July 1, 2025.
Think about that for a second.
The market could have crashed or skyrocketed in the last six months, but the City doesn't care. They are looking at what your house was worth in the middle of last summer. They also use "mass appraisal," which is a fancy way of saying they look at what your neighbors' houses sold for and apply a big mathematical formula to your whole block. They haven't actually walked through your front door to see that beautiful new kitchen—or the leaky basement you haven't fixed yet.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1.6% Tax Increase
You’ve probably seen the headlines: "City Council Approves 1.6% Tax Increase."
Most people think this means their tax bill will go up by 1.6% across the board. It doesn't work like that. Calgary uses a revenue-neutral system. Essentially, the City decides how much money they need to run the police, fix the potholes (we can dream, right?), and keep the CTrain moving. Then, they use the assessments to figure out who pays what share of that big pie.
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Here is the secret sauce:
- If your home's value went up by exactly the city average (1%), you’ll likely see that 1.6% increase, which is about $3.57 a month for a typical house.
- If your home value stayed flat or went down (like many condos), you might actually see your taxes go down, even though the City "increased" taxes.
- If you live in a hot neighborhood where values jumped 5% or 10%, you’re going to be carrying a heavier load for the rest of us.
For 2026, neighborhoods like Bowness, Cedarbrae, and Woodbine saw some of the highest growth, with some areas jumping up to 10%. If you live there, expect a bigger bill.
The "Invisible" Provincial Tax Hike
There is a bit of a sting in the tail this year. While City Council actually lowered their planned increase—canceling a 1% tax shift that would have moved more of the burden onto homeowners—the Government of Alberta is expected to take a bigger bite.
The province's portion of your property tax is estimated to jump by 11.9%. That’s not a typo. The City just collects this on behalf of the province to fund schools. So, even if the municipal side stays low, your total bill might still feel a bit heavy because of the education tax.
How to Tell if the City Messed Up Your Assessment
You have a 67-day window to complain. It’s called the Customer Review Period, and for 2026, the deadline to file a formal complaint is March 23.
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Don't just jump straight to a formal appeal, though. Those cost money (usually $50 for a house). Honestly, your first step should be going to the City’s "Assessment Search" tool on their website. You can look up your "Assessment Detail Report" and see exactly what they have on file for your property.
Check the basics. Did they think you have a finished basement when it’s just studs and cobwebs? Do they have your square footage wrong? Did they count that old shed as a "detached garage"?
If something is factually wrong, call 311. Most of the time, you can talk to an assessor and they might fix it right there without you ever having to see a Board member. But if you do appeal, you need evidence. "My taxes are too high" isn't evidence. "My neighbor's identical house sold for $50k less in June 2025" is evidence.
Real World Action Steps
- Check the Date: Remember, you are looking for sales that happened around July 1, 2025. Sales from last week don't count for this assessment.
- Use the Map: Go to the City's interactive map. It shows a green dot for every house that actually sold. It’s the best way to see if your "assessed value" matches reality.
- Watch the Deadline: March 23, 2026. If you miss it, you're stuck with that number for the year. No exceptions.
- Look for Relief: If you're a senior or struggling with the bill, look into the Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program or the Property Tax Assistance Program. The City also has a "Compassionate Property Tax Penalty Relief" program if a major life event (like a death or illness) made you miss a payment.
- Heritage Perks: If you own a designated Municipal Historic Resource, you might be eligible for a 15% tax cancellation. It’s a pilot program running through 2026.
At the end of the day, your assessment is just a math problem the City uses to distribute the bill. It's worth spending twenty minutes to make sure they're using the right numbers. If the market is finally calming down, your tax bill should hopefully follow suit. Just keep an eye on that provincial education portion—that’s where the real surprise is hiding this year.