High River residents breathed a sigh of relief this week as the town council approved the fourth and final round of forgiven taxes from the Property Tax Relief Program that was set up to help residents affected by the 2013 Alberta flood.
This program was initiated in order to forgive the property taxes of homeowners who were unable to live in their houses for over 90 days post flood. Individuals who qualify will have their property tax refunded or rebated to them for as long as they were out of their home, according to Tom Maier, the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) for the Town of High River.
The rebates issued will help residents ensure their homes are properly decontaminated, assessed and rebuilt. As this program comes to a close Maier says it marks a positive step forward for the town and residents in High River, which was hit particularly hard by the Alberta flood of 2013. The program was extended to help residents who were unable to return to their homes in 2014 and 2015 even after they received tax relief in 2013 when the flood happened.
Since the program was founded 841 households and businesses have benefited from the rebate, with a total of $52,339.16 in taxes being forgiven for 2015. This program was applauded by many Albertans as something that needed to be done and helped out a lot of people in need.
Maier noted that the deadline for the last round of tax relief funding has now passed and that the town will send the final tax forgiveness documents to the Government of Alberta. The deadline for this particular program was December 2015. However, Maier noted that there are still other flood projects and programs that are being addressed, so things are still getting back to normal.
If your home was damaged during the Alberta flood of 2013 and you still require flood damage cleanup and water removal call the experts at 24/7 Restoration today. Our teams of experts are able to accurately assess the damage, remove damaged items and materials and completely decontaminate the area so that it is safe for you, your family and your co-workers. For more information, or to book an assessment, contact us today at 403.247.4365 and visit 247restoration.ca.
