Property Tax Sale

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, like other Alberta Municipalities, holds an annual property tax sale to recover unpaid property taxes.

What is a property tax sale?

A property tax sale is a public auction of properties that have a Tax Notification (lien) registered as a result of unpaid taxes for more than one year, in accordance with the Municipal Government Act, Chapter M-26 RSA 2000, Part 10, Division 8.
The properties offered for sale have a reserve bid representing fair market value. The assessed value for the year preceding the auction is used for the reserve bids on each property.
Prior to the property tax sale date, the Municipality follows an extensive notification process. Properties are only placed up for public auction if the Municipality has a lien on the property and the taxes are not paid in full.

If your property is included on the Public Auction Listing, you must pay the balance in full on your property tax account or have a formal a payment arrangement in place and in good standing, before the auction date to be removed from the sale.
Liens will only be discharged once the account has been paid in full.
Please contact Pulse to connect with taxation to discuss your payment options.

Step 1

Review the list of remaining properties on the Public Auction Listing.
A list of properties will be advertised in the Alberta Gazette (Part 1) mid-February.
The current year's public auction listing will be available 30 days prior to the tax sale auction and is updated daily to remove properties that are no longer for sale.
Any remaining properties will be advertised in Fort McMurray Today 10 to 20 days prior to the tax sale auction.

Step 2

Step 3

Review the Public Auction Listing on the morning of the auction.
If the property you are intending to purchase is still available, attend the auction to bid on the property.
The auctioneer will explain the bidding process and the terms and conditions.

All properties listed for public auction are privately owned. Please respect the owner and/or occupant’s privacy.

March (two years prior to tax sale) – Tax notification (lien) is registered on the property at the Alberta Land Titles Office.
October/November (year prior to tax sale) – Reserve bids, based on appraisal values, are set by Council.
October/November – Letters are sent to registered owners advising their property is on the auction listing.
January (tax sale year) – Letters are sent to registered owners and interested parties on title advising the property is on the auction listing.
February – The properties available for property tax sale via public auction are advertised in the Alberta Gazette (Part 1) and registered letters are sent to owners and interested parties with a copy of the notice shown in the Alberta Gazette.
March – The properties available for property tax sale via public auction are advertised in Fort McMurray Today and registered letters are sent to owners and interested parties with a copy of the notice shown in Fort McMurray Today.
March – Property tax sale public auction.