February 27, 2026
RED FM News Desk
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is raising concerns over the Alberta government’s decision to increase the education property tax requisition in its 2026 budget.
Speaking to reporters Thursday after the United Conservative Party tabled the provincial budget, Farkas said the province plans to collect an additional $500 million in education property taxes this year. Based on previous years, Calgary is expected to contribute roughly one-third of that total.
As a result, the average Calgary homeowner could see about a $340 increase added to their property tax bill from the provincial portion alone.
Farkas said he wants transparency from the province about how the additional funds will directly benefit Calgary. “If Calgarians are paying more, they deserve to see clear investments coming back to our city,” he said.
The tax increase comes as Calgary faces a $6 million reduction in funding from the Local Government Fiscal Framework, a program that supports municipal infrastructure projects, due to declining provincial revenues.
However, the provincial budget also outlines major investments in Calgary, including 14 new school projects and more than $1 billion over three years to expand the city’s LRT network, along with additional healthcare funding.
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