Municipal Affairs - Provincial Policy

Pressure on affordable housing across Alberta and Canada is growing. It is neither feasible nor sustainable for governments to address the issue on their own. P3 (Public-Private Partnership) models show the greatest potential to address the magnitude of the issue while creating a sustainable program.

Finance & Taxation - Provincial Policy

The current approach to taxation of corporate groups in Canada ignores the commonality of ownership principles and requires that owners undertake costly and complicated planning to allow for consolidation or transfers of losses and/or credits between members of a common corporate group.

Finance & Taxation - Provincial Policy

Alberta and Quebec are the only two remaining jurisdictions in Canada that have not consolidated their corporate income tax administration with the federal government. The duplication of filing requirements imposes an additional tax compliance burden through two returns and creates unnecessary compliance risks for Alberta businesses. From a tax compliance perspective, this continued duplication of functions, including reporting, auditing and returns, is a source of frustration and red tape.

Finance & Taxation - Municipal Policy

In 2011, Development & Infrastructure Division Fees and Charges were proposed to increase by as much as 185%. At that time the Chamber put forward recommendations to re-evaluate the increases and subsequent changes and concerns were addressed. On December 16, 2024, City Council approved planning and development services fees and charges for 2025 and 2026 with limited feedback from the development community, resulting in concerns once the fees and charges were implemented.

Finance & Taxation - Municipal Policy

The off-site levy bylaw #4721 was adopted on November 22, 2022 under the Corvus model with levy rates reviewed each year commencing in 2023 and adjustments made annually based on that same model. With the economy and businesses just starting to recover from challenging financial and regulatory circumstances an incentive program should be implemented to ensure maximum benefit for development in our community and to ease the process and create stability and predictability.

Finance & Taxation - Provincial Policy

The Government of Alberta regulates the Alberta Registry Agents’ (ARAs) Regulation by capping the fee amounts for most of the services they provide. In addition, Registry Agents are eager to develop a modernization plan to enhance services, including online registry services to Albertans in conjunction with Service Alberta and other stakeholders. The Government of Alberta should support these modernization efforts and review regulations to ensure Alberta Registry Agents can continue their vital work effectively.

Finance & Taxation - Provincial Policy

Since corporate income tax represents a very large percentage of pre-tax income, decisionmakers are highly sensitive to corporate income tax rates. It is in Alberta’s best interests to reduce and keep corporate income taxes low to attract business to Alberta and retain them in our province.

Finance & Taxation - Provincial + Federal Policy

There is a relationship between the size of government and economic growth. While government spending is needed, there are studies that have shown that when government grows beyond a certain size it can hinder economic growth and lead to lower living standards for citizens.

Finance & Taxation - Municipal Policy

Non-residential properties continue to pay a greater proportion of property taxes than residential rate payers, even though it is not clear that they use a greater proportion of the benefits received from property tax revenues.