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1. When do I receive my tax notice?

Tax notices are normally mailed in early May, and taxes are due June 30. The tax notice covers the period January 1 to December 31 of the current year.

If you have a mortgage on your property, and your mortgage company is responsible to pay property taxes on your behalf, the notification of taxes due is sent to the mortgage company.

2. What is a mill rate?

The term "mill rate" can be described as the amount of tax that is paid per $1,000.00 of assessed property value. The Town of Biggar and local schools administration use the mill rate to calculate the amount of property tax that is required from each property to raise the revenue necessary to operate the Town and schools for the current year.

The mill rate has two components - the municipal portion and the education portion. The municipal mill rate is established by Town Council once the Town of Biggar budget has been approved for the year. The Province of Saskatchewan establish uniform mill rates for education and then work together to establish a uniform education mill rate for the Town of Biggar. Additional mill rates for special requisitions are approved on a yearly basis.

The mill rate indicates the amount of tax you will pay for every $1,000.00 of assessment placed on your property.

For example - if the mill rate (municipal and school) is 12.5 mills-for every $1,000.00 of assessment you will pay $12.50 of taxes. Therefore, if you have property assessed at $100,000 your tax bill would be $1,250.00.

Assessment X Mill rate / 1000 = Property tax amount

3. Does everyone pay school tax?

Yes, every residential and non-residential property owner is required to pay education taxes - including people without children in school and senior citizens. This money is collected by the Town of Biggar and forwarded directly to the Sun West School Division No.207 or the St. Pauls Roman Catholic Seperate School Division No.20 to operate our local schools.

4. How do I know which school division my taxes go to?

For individuals, all school tax is directed to the Sun West School Division No.207 (Public) unless the individual completes a "School Support Declaration" and submits it to the Town of Biggar. Please visit the Town Office to complete the School Support Declaration form.

A school support declaration can be provided to the Town of Biggar at any time, but it will not become effective until the following year the declaration was signed.

5. Should I pay my taxes if I have filed an assessment appeal?

Yes, you must pay your taxes by the deadline to avoid penalty. If your assessment appeal is successful and your assessment is reduced, thereby reducing your yearly tax amount, a credit will be applied to your tax account. This credit can then remain on your account to be applied to the following year's taxes OR you may request a refund.

6. What if I don't get my tax notice?

You should contact the Town Office if you have not received your tax notice by mid May.

7. What if I don't pay my taxes?

Taxes are due yearly by June 30. Any tax amounts that remain outstanding as of January 1 are assessed an additional penalty of 15%. In January the Town of Biggar will undertake tax enforcement procedures. This will result in a lien being registered on the property, and within one year of the lien being registered, further enforcement procedures will be undertaken. Ultimately, the Town will sell the property at public auction, using the proceeds to clear the outstanding tax amounts.