The new year is only days away, but with 2020 comes tax and fee increases across the country.
Many Calgarians will experience increases municipally, provincially and federally.
On a municipal level, the City of Calgary is imposing fee increases for transit, utilities, and some recreation facilities.
Transit
For adults, single-ride fares are increasing from $3.40 to $3.50, a book of 10 tickets is going up from $34 to $35, a day pass is increasing from $10.75 to $11.00, and a monthly pass from $106 to $109.
For youth aged six to 17, a single ride is increasing from $2.35 to $2.40, a book of 10 tickets from $23.50 to $24.00 and a day pass from $7.75 to $8.00.
Senior yearly passes are increasing from $140 to $145.
The low-income monthly pass is increasing as well. Band A is going from $5.30 to $5.45, Band B from $37.10 to $38.15 and Band C from $53.00 to $54.50.
Recreation
Prices stay the same for adults at $13.35 for leisure centres across the city.
However, two golf courses are increasing their rates. Shaganappi Point Golf Course is increasing its rate for 18 holes on a weekday from $44.50 to $45. Maple Ridge is also increasing rates for 18 holes on a weekday from $51 to $52.
Waste collection
Waste collection fees will be staying the same in 2020 after council voted to freeze them. Black car collection will remain at a monthly fee of $6.85, with blue cart collection remaining at $8.80, and green cart collection also staying at $8.80. The fees are set to go up in 2021.
Tax shift
The City of Calgary also approved a tax rate change, shifting the tax responsibility from the current share of 49 per cent residential and 51 per cent non-residential to 52 per cent residential and 48 per cent non-residential.
The shift will increase property taxes on the average Calgary home by 7.51 per cent, or roughly $150, in 2020.
“In the new year Calgary families are going to be bracing for a huge tax increase,” said Franco Terrazzano, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Calgarians will also feel a hit on the provincial level.
Costs for vehicle registration, museum admittance, and university tuition are on the rise.
Registration
Vehicle registration will increase on Jan. 1 from $84.45 to $93.65.
RV and camper registration will also increase from $109.45 to $163.65.
Museums
The cost to visit the Royal Alberta Museum or the Royal Tyrell Museum will go up next year.
In 2020-21, one adult admission will cost $21 (up from $19) and a family pass will cost $50.
Education
Cuts to advanced education were announced with the United Conservative Government’s budget.
As a result, post-secondary grants have been cut by 7.9 per cent.
The five-year tuition freeze in place will be cancelled as of Jan. 1.
Albertans will likely notice an increase at the pump as a result of the implementation of the federal carbon tax.
Alberta scrapped the provincial carbon tax in June 2019, and as a result, the federal carbon levy will come into effect Jan 1, 2020. The tax will impose a $30-per-tonne charge on gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas.
Prices are set to rise roughly 4.4 cents per litre for gasoline at the pumps.
However, according to the Canadian government, most families will receive rebates to recover costs.
According to the government website, single adults and the first adult in a couple will receive $444, second adults in a couple and the first child of a single parent will receive $222, and each child under 18 will receive $111.
One tax decrease is currently in the works.
The Alberta government’s ‘Job Creation Tax Cut’ will continue to cut corporate taxes from 11 per cent to 10 per cent as of Jan. 1. It will eventually be at eight per cent in 2022.
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