The City of Calgary earns the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration awarded by the International Association of Assessing Officers

This means that Calgarians can rest comfortably knowing that when their property assessment notices are received each January that the level of care and consideration made in determining and presenting property assessments at the highest international standards and best practices. (File Photo: Kyler Nixon/Unsplash)

The City of Calgary has always been committed to integrity and fairness in property assessment and tax transparency. This commitment has often received praise but being the first major city in Canada to be awarded the prestigious Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration acknowledges our work on an international level. This means that Calgarians can rest comfortably knowing that when their property assessment notices are received each January that the level of care and consideration made in determining and presenting property assessments at the highest international standards and best practices.

This Certificate of Excellence is acknowledgment by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) that Assessment & Tax delivers the exemplary service that Calgarians expect and deserve from The City.  The IAAO is a nonprofit, educational and research association, known as a leading source of standards, professional development in mass appraisal, assessment administration, and property tax policy. In receiving this award, The City is recognized as a jurisdiction that utilizes some of the best appraisal and assessment practices in the world.

“This certification independently recognizes our jurisdiction as being one of the leaders in the industry,” says Eddie Lee, Director of Assessment & Tax. “We are delighted to receive the IAAO’s Certificate of Excellence, the highest professional honour an assessment jurisdiction can obtain. It is of great satisfaction to know that Calgary is meeting its strategic goals and Assessment & Tax is doing the job we are assigned to do and that we are leaders in our industry.”

Calgary is the first jurisdiction in Canada with a population of over half a million residents to have attained the Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration, and only the third jurisdiction in the Canada to have been certified. The other jurisdictions are the City of Regina (in 2013) and Sturgeon County (in 2017) in Alberta. With two of the three Canadian CEAA jurisdictions located in our province, Calgary taxpayers can feel confident that the legislative framework in Alberta supports best practices in market value assessment.

“We take pride in offering property owners excellence in assessment administration and being recognized in this way by the IAAO is an honour for The City,” says Carla Male, Chief Financial Officer. “Calgary utilizes the best appraisal and assessment practices in the industry. We are hopeful this certificate will give confidence to Calgarians and property owners that the municipal tax system in Alberta is efficient and more importantly, equitable.”

Assessment & Tax’s day-to-day work in preparing, collaborating on, and explaining fair and equitable market value assessments was documented in a comprehensive submission which received a remarkable score of 98 per cent. In the words of the grading delegate from the Certificate of Excellence committee, “The City of Calgary’s report was very well written. The amount of information included in the report and the thoroughness of the responses to each of the questions was very impressive. Exhibits supported the answers and increased understanding of processes. Overall, a well-executed report.”

The City of Calgary is pleased to congratulate the Assessment & Tax project team and content contributors for their unprecedented accomplishment and their commitment to improving assessment and taxation practices and services.