Calgary’s mayor is escalating his public criticism of the Alberta government after the province’s steep increase to its share of property taxes pushed bills sharply higher for homeowners.
Calgary city council approved the 2026 property tax rates this week, confirming that the average single‑family homeowner, assessed at roughly $706,000, will pay nearly $390 more this year.
Only about $49 of that increase comes from the city’s 1.8 per cent municipal adjustment. The remaining $338, a jump of more than 21 per cent, is tied to the provincial education levy.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas has repeatedly taken to social media, calling the provincial move “the biggest provincial property tax hike in history.” He argues the province is using municipalities to collect revenue it can ultimately spend however it chooses.
In one post, Farkas wrote that Premier Danielle Smith would be “furious” if the federal government ordered her to collect a major tax increase on Ottawa’s behalf, adding that Calgary is now being put in that very position.
Farkas has also pointed out that, by his calculation, the province has increased its property tax take from Calgary by 57 per cent over the past four years.
He says he will continue to support the province when it benefits Calgarians, but will push back when necessary.
“I’m not seeking acrimony. I’m not seeking a dysfunctional relationship,” he says.
The mayor has also criticized the province’s decision to scrap photo radar fines, arguing it is worsening financial pressure on emergency services. Both police and fire officials have signalled they will be seeking significant budget increases later this year to keep pace with a rapidly growing city.
Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams responded by saying the province and municipalities will naturally have disagreements but maintain a good working relationship. He noted that the constitutional relationship between provinces and municipalities is fundamentally different from the relationship between provinces and the federal government.
Williams added that he is open to new ideas for increasing revenue.