Background

Off-site levies are fees that developers have to pay to a municipality when they build new homes, businesses, or other developments. Infrastructure is initially funded by the municipality, with a portion of costs recovered as development proceeds. Off-site levies are not a tax, but rather a cost recovery tool based on the principle that growth pays for growth.

An off-site levy is a funding mechanism for municipalities to support growth. A subdivision requires infrastructure on-site as well as large-scale infrastructure off-site that supports the subdivision such as roads, water, sanitary, and storm sewer systems. These large-scale infrastructure projects are expensive and typically benefit more than one development.

A developer may not have the capital funds to pay all off-site infrastructure costs up front to support this new growth. The role of the municipality is to bankroll the construction of the off-site infrastructure and collect levies from benefiting parties as development progresses.

Off-site levies are not a tax, and municipalities do not make revenue from them. The money spent on the construction of off-site levies infrastructure will equal the amount of money collected. According to provincial regulations, off-site levies cannot be used to fund operations or maintenance, only new construction.

The Town retains an engineering consultant to update the Off-Site Levies Report (the current “2015 Off-Site Levies Report” was completed by Stantec in March 2016 and is appended to the Offsite Levies Bylaw). The report forms part of the Offsite Levies Bylaw and identifies the costs of infrastructure required to support the Town’s growth and development. The costs for specific infrastructure projects are then allocated to the appropriate contributing areas (those areas that require that specific infrastructure) so that developers and people subdividing will pay an amount proportionate to the area being developed or subdivided.

Some areas of Town pay higher or lower off-site levy rates based on where the subject property is located and what specific off-site levies are required for that property to develop. The rates that are listed above are average off-site levy rates for the Town.

Historically, the Town has updated the off-site levy rates / bylaw every 3-5 years to ensure that levies remain consistent with current infrastructure costs. However, this bylaw has not been updated for 10 years.

Off-site levies are regulated under Section 648 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and Off-site Levies Regulation (187/2017). The act and regulation authorize municipalities to collect offsite levies through adoption of a bylaw. Blackfalds’ current Offsite Levies Bylaw (1190/15) was passed by Council in January 2016.

Off-site levies are charged to developers at the time of development or subdivision, so they do not directly impact existing homeowners, but they may impact new home buyers in developing neighbourhoods.

Each community has unique servicing and development needs and therefore it is challenging to compare one community's off-site levies rates to another.

Administration is recommending that the off-site levies be introduced as a phased percentage of the total cost per hectare. The bylaw would include reduced rate of 80% for 2026, then 90% for 2027 then come into full force on January 1, 2028, at the rate of 100% of the total cost per hectare.

Costs include the cost of design and construction of off-site levies infrastructure, contingency (10% of the estimated construction costs), and a 5% administration fee to cover the costs of the Town’s contract administration and engineering review for the improvements.

Although the MGA does allow land costs to be include in the collection of off-site levies, the Town has chosen to exclude land costs from the levy calculations and instead includes land costs as a capital expenditure. If the land costs were to be included in the off-site levies calculations, the proposed rates would increase.

Off-site levies cannot be used to fund operations or maintenance, only new construction.

For transportation off-site levies projects related to arterial roadways, the Town pays 25% of the cost with offsite levies being collected for the remaining 75% of the costs.

The off-site levies were last updated in 2015 (11 years ago). Since that time costs to construct infrastructure have gone up, especially within the last 5 years. The rates need to increase to ensure that projects have adequate funding when they are needed.

The combined off-site levies rate is also proposed to include the new facilities rate, replacing the current recreation contribution.

The current bylaw includes an average cost of $89,107.33 / ha – this includes deep utilities (water, sanitary and storm sewer) and transportation levies.

The proposed updates include an average cost of $128,231 / ha – this includes deep utilities, transportation, and facilities levies. Excluding the facilities levy, the rate would be $110,000 / ha.  

Historical average off-site levies rates for Blackfalds are shown below.

While the 2015 Transportation Master Plan recommends significant upgrades along the Highway 2A corridor in the future, they are not included in the calculation of transportation off-site levies because Alberta Transportation & Economic Corridors owns and maintains Highway 2A. Off-site levies could be collected for construction and improvement of the highway; however, the Province should be paying for these improvements.

If off-site levies have not been previously paid on a parcel of undeveloped land, it is likely that off-site levies are owing. For further questions or confirmation, contact the Planning & Development department via email or by phone at 403.885.9679 Ext. 280.

In 2018 the MGA was updated to allow off-site levies to be collected on facilities including recreation facilities, police facilities, fire halls, and libraries.

Currently the Town collects a recreation contribution (only on residential lots). The new facilities off-site levy will replace the recreation contribution. The Town is not proposing to collect levies for police facilities, fire halls, or libraries at this time.

Once the updated Off-site Levies Bylaw receives 3^rd reading, the new rates would go into effect. This is expected to occur in late 2026 or early 2027.

Current recreation contribution: $1,150 per residential dwelling unit. Based on an average density of 16 residential homes per hectare (ha), this would equate to approximately $18,244.80/ha.

Proposed facilities off-site levy rate: The new proposed facility levy, calculated based on capital costs of $21,145,513.00, equates to $18,543.82/ha. With the ability to collect off-site levies for facilities, the recreation contribution for parks and facility improvements has been integrated into this Bylaw, formalizing the contribution option into the Bylaw.

• Feedback is being collected on the proposed changes until July 30, 2026
• An open house will be held on July 23, 2026 to share what is being proposed for the Offsite Levies Bylaw update.
• Administration will go back to Council with the proposed updated Off-site Levies Bylaw in September 2026.
• Following passing of the bylaw, the new off-site levies rates will come into effect. This is expected to occur in late 2026.