Alberta’s property tax rebate for seniors comes in three provincial forms: the Education Property Tax Assistance program, which offsets the education portion of your bill; the Alberta Seniors Benefit, a monthly income-tested payment many seniors put toward tax costs; and the Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program, a low-interest loan that pays your municipal taxes on your behalf. All three are open to homeowners aged 65 or older who live in Alberta and use the property as their primary residence, and you can hold more than one at the same time.
Education Property Tax Assistance
Every Alberta property tax bill contains an education portion collected by the municipality for the province. For 2026, that rate is $2.84 per $1,000 of assessed home value. The Education Property Tax Assistance program rebates the difference between what you owe in education property tax this year and what you owed in the base year you first qualified. Once you are enrolled, your education tax obligation is effectively frozen at the base-year amount, and the province covers the growth.
There is no income test. The rebate is not paid to you directly; it is applied to your municipal tax bill so the amount you owe is already reduced when you pay. Because assessed values and the education tax rate generally rise over time, the annual benefit tends to grow the longer you stay enrolled.
Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program
The deferral program does not reduce your bill. Instead, the province pays your residential property taxes to your municipality and treats the amount as a home equity loan secured by a caveat registered on your certificate of title.1Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program Because the province pays on time, there are no late-payment penalties from your municipality.
The current interest rate is 4.45%, reviewed each April and October. Interest is simple, so it accrues only on the original principal deferred each year and not on previously accumulated interest.1Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program You make no monthly payments. The balance and accrued interest come due when the property is sold, the title is transferred, or you choose to repay early.
Who Qualifies
- Age. At least 65. If you have a spouse or partner, only one of you needs to meet the age threshold.
- Residency. You must be an Alberta resident and the property must be your primary residence.
- Equity. At least 25% equity in the home, calculated by subtracting any mortgage balances, liens, or encumbrances from the assessed value.
Outstanding municipal property tax from previous years does not disqualify you, provided the 25% equity test is met. Eligible property types include standard residential homes, condominiums, mobile and manufactured homes on residential property, the residential portion of farmland, and the residential portion of commercial property. Investment properties, rental properties, vacation homes, and purely commercial properties are not eligible.1Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program
A new caveat is registered each year you continue to defer. There is no fixed repayment schedule, so the loan can stay in place for as long as you own and live in the home.
Alberta Seniors Benefit
The Alberta Seniors Benefit is a monthly cash payment that supplements federal Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. It is not tied to property tax, but many seniors use it to cover tax bills, and the application is bundled with the same Seniors Financial Assistance form used for the education tax rebate.
For 2026, a single senior homeowner or renter can receive up to $3,946 per year and a senior couple up to $5,918 per year combined, with amounts phasing out as income rises. In general, a single senior with annual income of $34,770 or less, and a couple with combined income of $56,820 or less, may qualify for some level of benefit.2Alberta.ca. Alberta Seniors Benefit Payments are deposited monthly.
Municipal Rebates
Some Alberta municipalities run their own senior property tax rebates on top of the provincial programs, and the rules vary. The Town of Hinton, for example, offers a rebate for senior homeowners aged 65 or older whose income falls below the provincial thresholds ($34,770 single; $56,820 couple in 2026). Applicants must submit the municipal rebate form, government-issued proof of age, and a copy of the previous year’s Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency by December 31 of the tax year.3Town of Hinton. Seniors Property Tax Rebate Programs Check your own municipality’s tax department to see whether a local rebate exists.
How to Apply
The provincial programs are administered by the Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services. The deferral loan and the Seniors Financial Assistance programs use separate forms and separate mailing addresses.
Property Tax Deferral
To avoid late-payment penalties, your application for the current year should reach the province by May 31 so the loan can be paid to your municipality before the June 30 tax deadline.4City of Edmonton. Tax Assistance for Seniors Send the completed form and a copy of your property tax bill through one of these channels:
- Online, through the document submission portal at seniors.alberta.ca
- By fax to 780-644-1810
- By mail to Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program, PO Box 1200 STN Main, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2M4
Seniors Financial Assistance
One Seniors Financial Assistance form covers both the Alberta Seniors Benefit and the Education Property Tax Assistance program. You provide your Social Insurance Number so the province can pull limited income information from the Canada Revenue Agency; you do not self-report income on the form.2Alberta.ca. Alberta Seniors Benefit
If you are 65 or older and already receive Old Age Security, no additional proof of age is needed. Otherwise, include a copy of one of: a Canadian birth certificate, a valid Alberta driver’s licence or identification card, a passport, Canada entry documents, a Canadian citizenship document, or a Permanent Resident Card.2Alberta.ca. Alberta Seniors Benefit Mail the completed application to Seniors Financial Assistance, PO Box 3100, Edmonton AB T5J 4W3.5Alberta.ca. Seniors Financial Assistance Application Including a voided cheque or a direct deposit form speeds up payment.
Comparing the Programs
The education rebate and the Seniors Benefit either lower what you owe or put money in your account. The deferral is a loan that must eventually be repaid.
- Education Property Tax Assistance. Rebates the increase in education property tax above your base year. No income test. No repayment. Applied to your tax bill once you are enrolled.
- Alberta Seniors Benefit. Monthly cash payment. Income-tested (single senior up to $34,770; couple up to $56,820). No repayment.
- Seniors Property Tax Deferral. Covers all or part of your total property tax bill. No income test, but requires 25% home equity. Repaid with 4.45% simple interest when the home is sold or title transfers.1Alberta.ca. Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program
A senior who qualifies for all three can receive the education rebate on the bill, the monthly benefit deposit, and defer the remaining balance through the loan. For someone on a fixed income with meaningful home equity, that combination can bring out-of-pocket property tax to zero for as long as they stay in the home.