Pre-Authorized Payment Plan

The Pre-Authorized Tax (PAT) payment plan is an optional plan allowing you to pay your taxes in 12 monthly installments instead of a single yearly payment. It follows the regular tax year, which runs from January to December. Your first five monthly payments (January to May) will be estimated based on your previous year's taxes.

When you receive your annual tax notice in May, any adjustments required as a result of the annual levy will be spread over the last seven payments of the year. Your tax notice will reflect the revised monthly amount. Arrangements can be made to allow you to join the plan during the current tax year.

Requirements for Eligibility

  • To be eligible for the PAT program, any prior year’s taxes including all charges and penalties and/or any outstanding utility arrears transferred to your tax account must be paid to current status.
  • Payments may only be made by automatic withdrawal from your chequing account.  You must have chequing privileges at a bank, trust company, treasury branch, or credit union (credit cards not accepted).
  • The City of St. Albert requires your written permission before the withdrawals begin. There is no charge for this service; however, your normal bank service charges may apply.

Join During Current Tax Year

Arrangements can be made to allow you to join the plan during the current tax year. When enrolling after January, payments for the monthly installments from January to the month your regular withdrawals begin must be paid prior to the start date. For example, if your prior year annual tax levy was $4,800 and you start on the plan in April, you must pay January – March installments ($400 X 3 = $1,200) before your first regular withdrawal in April.  

NOTE: Enrollment in the plan continues from year to year until cancelled. There's no need to reapply unless you move.   

Changing the Plan

The City of St. Albert requires two weeks' notice to make any changes to your account.

Changes include:

  • The use of a different chequing account:
    • You must provide a new "VOID" cheque to Taxation at least two weeks before the next payment date.
  • Buying, selling or building a new property.
  • Withdrawing from the plan:
    • You may withdraw from the plan at any time by giving written notice to the City. If payments are missed, the City of St. Albert reserves the option to cancel the agreement.

      If you withdraw from the plan or your plan is cancelled, all unpaid taxes become due and payable, and are subject to penalties in accordance with the penalty bylaw.

View an Example Payment Plan

Step 1Step 2
Last Year's Taxes$3,000New Tax Bill Arrives$3,200
  Subtract Amount Paid-$1,250
  New Balance (June-Dec)$1,950
January$250  
February$250June$279
March$250July$279
April$250August$279
May$250September$279
Payments (Jan - May)$1,250October$279
  November$279
  December$279
  Payments (June-Dec)$1,950
  Total Paid for the Year$3,200

Questions?

View the most frequently asked questions regarding the Pre-Authorized Tax (PAT) payment plan.

Sign up for PAT

Fields with an * are required.

Please note the following: 1) This personal information is being collected under the authority of Section 33 (c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.A., 2000 and will be used to process your inquiry. It will be treated in accordance with the privacy protection provisions of Part 2 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If you have any questions about the collection, contact the FOIP Coordinator. 2) The City does not respond to anonymous enquiries/submissions, malicious submissions, or submissions containing inappropriate or profane language; those received will be discarded by staff.

Owner/Payor Information

Full name(s) of property owner(s).

Only fill out if different than the property owner.
If this is a joint account, please list all names on the account.

This can be found on your tax notice or in your mycity account.

Please fill in the address you will be paying taxes for, including the postal code.

If your property is a condo does it have separately-titled parking stalls?

If this is a new build, please list the purchase price.

What is your Possession Date?
(if this is a new build or a new purchase)

  

What is your preferred withdrawal date?

What date would you like your payment plan to start on?

  

Please upload a void cheque or direct debit form from your bank.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS  

I/we authorize the City of St. Albert and its financial institution to debit my designated bank account on the 15th or the last day of each month (as specified above) to make regular recurring payments towards all charges on my/our City of St. Albert tax account.  

If the payments will be debited from a bank account you do not own, the owner of the bank account (the "Payor") must complete the PAT Agreement to authorize the debits. Any correspondence sent by the City will be directed to the registered owner(s) of the property only.  

A PAT application form must be completed for each titled property. PAT applications are NOT transferrable from one property to another. If you purchase a new property, a new PAT application form must be completed.  

I/we acknowledge that when current year taxes are unknown, the debited instalments will be estimated based on the prior year's taxes until current year tax information is available for recalculation.  

Monthly payment instalments will be recalculated periodically. You will be notified of recalculated monthly installments that increase more than 10% or $25.00 (whichever is higher).  

This plan will remain in effect until cancelled. If there is a change in ownership of the property, you or your Solicitor are responsible to notify the City in writing to cancel the progam.  

REQUESTS TO CANCEL PRE-AUTHORIZED DEBITS OR TO CHANGE BANKING INFORMATION MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING A MINIMUM OF TEN (10) BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE NEXT SCHEDULED PAYMENT.  

Any payments that are dishonored by the Payor's financial institution due to non-sufficient funds, account closed, etc. shall incur a $40.00 NSF fee which will be added to the tax roll account and will be due and payable by the Payor. If this occurs two (2) times within the current year and the Payor omits to remit a dishonored payment (plus the NSF Fee), the City of St. Albert will be entitled to remove the taxpayer from the installment plan without notice. A 'Stop Payment' for any scheduled withdrawals will result in automatic termination of the plan. Unpaid taxes as of the date of termination will be immediately due and payable and will be subject to penalties as outlined in Tax Penalty Bylaw No. 38-2019.  

By submitting this application to the City, you are agreeing to be bound by the Pre-Authorized Tax Payment Plan Bylaw No. 14/2022 and the terms and conditions of this agreement.  

You have certain recourse rights if any debit does not comply with this agreement. For example, you have the right to receive reimbursement for any debit that is not authorized or is not consistent with this agreement. To obtain more information on your recourse rights, contact your financial institution or visit www.payments.ca.  

Information collected on this document is for the purpose of enrollment in the Pre-Authorized Tax Payment Plan. Personal information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Government Act, Section 340 and City of St. Albert Bylaw 14/2002, Section 4(a). This information is protected by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP), Section 33(c).

By checking the box below, I confirm that I have read, understand and agree to all the Terms & Conditions listed above.

By checking the box below, I am signing this application and agree to be bound as if I had endorsed this document with my own handwritten signature.

Related Pages

Generic city graphic Ways to Pay Your Taxes ›
Generic city graphic Tax Information for Seniors ›
A picture of several homes backing on to a stormwater pond in North Ridge Bylaws ›

Last edited: June 1, 2022

Return to the top ↑