Frequently Asked Questions

• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Alberta Health Care
• Depending on classification, up to $600 for recreational memberships or activities that promote active living
• Extended health care
• Group life insurance, weekly indemnity, and long-term disability insurance
• Participation in the Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP)

Regular office hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Peace Officers are also on call for emergencies after hours.

Calling 780-865-6009 is the best way to reach the office Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. After hours our telephone is monitored 24/7 by our dispatch centre when we are not available to answer the phone. 

A person who works to uphold and enforce certain laws and regulations given specific authority by Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. In Hinton, we currently have two CPO Level 1’s. Peace Officers can manage/enforce various legislation such as the Animal Protection Act, Dangerous Dog Act, Traffic Safety Act and all enforceable Town of Hinton Bylaws. Peace Officers also enforce the Gaming and Liquor Act and traffic moving violations such as speeding, distracted driving, and seatbelts.

• Animals: dogs at large, barking dogs, dog licencing, 
• noise complaints, 
• snow removal, 
• unsightly properties, 
• parking complaints.

Alberta Justice and Solicitor General sets administrative requirements for record-keeping and operational data. This includes obtaining the complainant’s name and contact information, such as address and phone number, as well as written details of occurrence and location. All information is kept confidential and not released to anyone without permission.

As per the Town of Hinton's Nuisance Bylaw, a property owner is responsible for the removal of snow, ice, and other debris on all sidewalks fronting or flanking the property. In failing to remove the snow and ice, the property owner becomes liable for any accident or injury resulting or caused by such. For the safety of all persons, the Town of Hinton requests that all property owners maintain their sidewalks as necessitated by weather conditions. Please contact Community Protection Services at 780.865.6009 for more information.

The registration validity now spans a full calendar year from the date of purchase to expiry. For example, if you buy a tag on October 7, it will remain valid until the following October 7. The bylaw states that if you have acquired an animal, you must register it within seven days of getting the animal. The seven-day requirement would also apply to new residents. 

The bylaw also states each residence is allowed a maximum of two dogs or cats per residence. 

The Fire Department cannot inspect fireplaces and chimneys. Insurance companies will request a Wood Energy Technology Transfer (WETT) certified inspection. You can stop by the fire station and pick up a free guide to residential wood heating for further information on fireplaces and wood-burning appliances.

You can read council minutes from previous meetings online to view decisions the Council has made.

Contact the Executive Assistant at 780.865.6072 to arrange for the Mayor and/or Councillors to attend your event or grand opening.

The Town of Hinton knows that when winter weather hits, our residents want to get out and enjoy it! We also know that all residents want the investment into outdoor recreation to be used well, which is why we have a couple of procedures to manage when we get to work getting the outdoor rinks into skating shape. 

• We require, at minimum, multiple days in a row of cold dry weather. Ideally, we look for minimum highs of -5 during the day (-10 ideally) and much colder at night
  • it's also important that no snow falls during that time
• Our ice making procedure uses many thin layers of water left to freeze - not a large amount of water pooling and then freezing. Thin layers create harder ice that will not shatter or crack. 

Please also understand that our organization will always prioritize staff for path, sidewalk, and roadway clearing over outdoor rink maintenance. When snow comes, our staff are tasked with high priority activity.  

Due to Hinton's climate, it is not uncommon for there not to have been enough consistent cold weather to freeze and maintain the ODR's until late December or early January. 

Many users want to help us keep the outdoor rinks in skating shape, and we're grateful for the assist! We welcome your time investment on the outdoor rink surfaces (at your own risk) with clearing snow. 

The idea of using the fire department to help get outdoor rinks up and running seems like a natural fit! However, the reality of ice maintenance makes it so this would only be feasible if they were to mist the surface multiple times, over a longer period of time, when it is consistent cold. Anecdotally, this has taken 2 full nights of 10 hours each in the past.

Unfortunately, putting inches of water on the outdoor hockey rink and leaving it be is not the correct way for our ice maintenance program. 

On July 1, a 5% penalty is applied to the outstanding balance of the current taxes. On August 1, a 10% penalty is applied to the outstanding balance of the current taxes. In addition, on January 1, a 15% penalty is subject to the entire amount outstanding on the tax account.

Property assessment is the process of estimating the market value of your property for taxation purposes. The property taxes that you pay are calculated in proportion to the value of the real estate you own. Assessments are used to distribute the tax burden in a fair and equitable manner. The Town of Hinton contracts Powers & Associates Appraisal Services from Beaumont, Alberta to prepare the property assessments.

Taxation is the process of applying a tax rate to a property’s assessed value to determine the taxes payable by the owner of the property.

Property taxes are a primary source of revenue for municipalities and are used to finance local programs and services. Each year, municipalities determine the amount of money they need to operate and from this amount, known revenues such as licenses, grants, permits, and user fees are subtracted. The remainder (revenue requirement) is the amount of money the municipality needs to raise through property taxes to provide services for the year. The primary goal is fair and equitable distribution of tax.

The property tax payable is calculated by multiplying your taxable property assessment by the tax rate. The tax rate is determined by dividing the total revenue by the total assessment base of the municipality.

Market value is the valuation standard set by provincial legislation and is the basis for property valuation across Alberta. Market value is the probable price your property could sell for in a competitive and open market, as of the given date. The market value on your 2018 Assessment and Tax Notice is based on a legislated valuation date of July 1, 2017 and reflects the physical condition of your property as of December 31, 2017.

Market value assessments are prepared using mass appraisal. For residential property, assessors compile, review, and analyze information from all legislative real estate sale transactions that have occurred in Hinton over a 12-month period. This process results in the estimated value of your property as of July 1, 2017.

• No iron or ironworks, glass bottles, earthen jars, metal or wooden boxes containing artificial wreaths or flowers or other memorial tributes shall be allowed in any section of the said cemetery, and any so placed shall be entirely removed by the Supervisor.
• No shrubs, trees or flowers may be planted in any part of the said cemetery other than those planted by the Supervisor in areas reserved for such planting.
• The Supervisor or his designate shall have authority to have removed from any grave and weed or grass, funeral designs or floral pieces which have become wilted, or any other article or things which are in his opinion, unsightly.
• Without restricting the generality of Part 6.0, no person shall erect upon a grave any curbs, fences, railings, walls, copings, trellis, hedges, trees, or shrubs or the like, and where any of the same have been previously erected on or around a grave, and have by reason of age or neglect become unsightly or objectionable, the Supervisor, may cause same to be removed but, in so doing, will leave areas in a safe, proper and neat condition.
• Where the Supervisor finds any monument or other structure upon a grave in a state of disrepair, unsightly or objectionable, or directly interfering with routine cemetery maintenance, he shall notify the owner in writing thereof and require that repairs be promptly undertaken. Any monument or structure not repaired within thirty days, after a notice in writing has been forwarded to the said owner at his last known address provided to the Town, may be removed from the plot.

Parks maintain the cemetery but ongoing wet weather and soil conditions complicate the work.  

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New graves are covered over with gravel/dirt layer up to 1 foot below grade / finalized with black soil layer. These graves are then monitored for settling and topped off as needed.

With administration support, gravestone placement may be arranged and separately placed on undisturbed soil. 

The seeding of grass will occur as per season and conditions requirements. 

Older graves are monitored seasonally for settling and topped off as needed, in addition to re-seeding (grass) as required.

The Town also offers admin support connecting with the family to discuss actions regarding grave stones in the case of issues like sinking/breakage.

During the mowing of gravesites the observation of required top off of soil is referred to the Parks Supervisor to be taken care of. On average graves get topped up in the first ten years roughly bi-annually. During heavy rainfall periods the water table changes and will increase the amount of sites needing top up (to over one out of 5 graves).

Discovery Camp will be located in the Hinton Family Centre and the People's Centre.  Please come through the big yellow doors across from the spray park.

Drop Off:

You can drop off your child in the Hinton Family Centre beginning at 7:45am.  If we are leaving early for a field trip day, this will be sent out via email, as well as the whiteboard on the sign in table.  

Pick Up:

Pick up will occur in the same area as drop off. If we're somewhere else enjoying the summer weather, we will post on the door and inform parents through the iCare app. Please note, only authorized people (indicated on registration forms) are twill be permitted to pick up your child. 

Our daily ratio is two leaders per 20 children.  

Staff members are required to participate in our full staff training program held over a week prior to the start of the Summer Camp season. Staff training includes workshops, courses, and hands-on learning opportunities. All staff are required to have Standard First Aid, CPR C, and a Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Screening.

Each day, please ensure your child comes prepared with:

• Refillable water bottle
• Weather appropriate outdoor clothing (including rain gear)
• Snacks and lunch
• Running shoes and/or strap-on sandals
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• Any authorized medications
• Sunglasses and hat
• Items needed for the activities posted on daily calendar (e.g. swim suit and towel, hiking boots, etc.)

DO NOT SEND TO CAMP

• Cell phones, iPods, iPads, Nintendo DS’s, or any other electronic device 
• Toys
• Money (we will not go to the cafeteria)
• Valuables 
• Flip-flops, crocs or other easy-to-lose shoes

Discovery: Each day, we do 4-6 periods of activities from 45 minutes to 1 hour that relate to the theme of the day (arts, crafts and culture, physical or outdoor activity, educational, and totally awesome theme activities). We set a weekly calendar and post it on our Facebook page and in our Centre so parents and kiddos can get excited for what we have planned!

Give us a call or send us a text at 780-223-9217 or send us an email at hkfs@hinton.ca!

Our groups are made up by age group. If your child and their friend are similar ages, let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate! 

Yes! Our core team is here year-round, as we also operate the Hinton Kids for Success out-of-school care program. Give us a call at 780-223-9217 or send us an email!

Child Care Subsidies from the Province of Alberta are available to families that qualify. To see if you qualify call 1-877-644-9992. You can also estimate your subsidy or view subsidy information online at the Government of Alberta website.

We always have our eyes on the skies! In case of inclement weather, we will cancel activities as appropriate to ensure the safety of the children within our care. We always have a fabulous back-up plan in place with more engaging and creative activities just in case.

We sure do! We keep it by the door - if you're missing something specific, let our team know. At the end of Camp, anything remaining is donated to the Share Shop so don't forget to check!

Please review the Hinton Kids for Success & Discovery Camp Policy Manual: Fees, Refund, & Credit Policy HKFS Policy #001

https://www.hinton.ca/DocumentCenter/View/13208/07-2023-HKFS-2023-Policy-ManualPlease review the Hinton Kids for Success & Discovery Camp Policy Manual: Child Guidance Policy #003

OptionPay is a payment card system the Town uses for its online and credit card transactions. You can find more information on OptionPay by visiting their website here.

Yes. All transactions carried out through OptionPay follow a tiered fee schedule, starting at a minimum fee of $2.00. To see the full fee schedule for using this payment option, please visit their fee schedule here.

The fees are administered through the OptionPay program for the use of their service, and not through the Town of Hinton.

OptionPay provides information on their security measures here. Please note that the Town of Hinton takes no responsibility for and accepts no liability in the event of security breaches, technical difficulties, or other issues that may arise from your use of OptionPay. All users accept responsibility for their use of this service and do so at their own risk.

The Town of Hinton’s water and sewage services are provided through a partnership with the pulp mill and the Town must pay for its proportional share of operating and capital costs. The joint infrastructure is very old, and the Town needs to charge higher utility costs to pay its share of costs. Learn more here.

In 2024, it was estimated that a new WTP would cost $80 million. This value will increase over time due to inflation.

Yes, a refundable deposit of $101.10 is required to open a new residential utility account.

The Town’s Utility Bylaw states that the property owner is liable for all applicable fees including Town utility bills. If a utility bill remains unpaid after 90 days, the utility account balance may be transferred to the property owner’s property tax account. 

As of January 2025, only commercial operations in Hinton have water meters. 

Water meters will be installed at single-family residential properties in 2025 and 2026. Meters allow those who use less water, to pay less. Once all residential water meters are installed, then utility bills will reflect water consumption.

Individual water meters will be installed at each mobile home at the request of mobile home park property owners. 

The Town is in consultation with apartment property owners about water meter installation.

If water meters are installed at each mobile home or apartment unit, then every residence will have the opportunity to pay for their own water consumption.

Learn more here.

Yes, water meter installation is mandatory in accordance with Bylaw No. 2005.

The Town has contracted Neptune Technology Group to install water meters by March 2026. This is a mandatory program in accordance with Bylaw No. 2005.

At this time, there is no cost for the water meter or installation. The Town is paying for the meters and their installation through ongoing utility fees. 

Residents are encouraged to install their meter as early as possible so that they can review and potentially alter household water use while still paying the current flat water rates.

Administration will be taking enforcement options to Council during this installation program. If a water meter is not installed while this program is underway then the property owner will be responsible for the full cost of the water meter and installation. Learn more about installation timing here.

Neptune Technology Group Canada Co. (Neptune) has been contracted by the Town of Hinton to start installing residential water meters.

All the water meter installers have a WMI 800a certification and are working under the direction of a licensed plumber. 

Every residence will receive a letter from Neptune Technology Group containing a booking reference number and information on how to book an installation appointment.

Appointments can be made to fit your schedule, including evenings and weekends. If you are a tenant, please contact the property owner when you receive Neptune’s letter.

Neptune is sending out letters in a phased approach, by area of Hinton. As of September 15, 2025, approximately 700 letters have been sent to the Hillcrest and Mountain Street areas of Hinton. More letters will be sent out when Neptune has made sufficient progress installing meters in the initial areas.

Water will be turned off and then Neptune will install the meter inside the home as close as practicable to where the waterline enters the interior of the home. Installation will take 60 to 120 minutes and then water will be turned back on. 

You can, but this is highly discouraged. The Town has arranged for Neptune to provide a five-year in-home warranty for all installation work. Hiring your own plumber will not provide this warranty. The plumber will also be required to install an antenna to the outside of the house. Once your plumber has installed the meter an inspection by the Town or Neptune would still be required. If you still wish to use your own plumber, please contact the ISB office at 780-865-2634 and specifically request this and they will work with you to make the arrangements. 

The water meters being installed are Mach 10 Ultrasonic Meters. They have no moving parts like some older style meters so they are not prone to being impacted by any particles in the water and are better for low flow measurement than mechanical meters. The meters are compliant with the AWWA C715 standard for accuracy. 

Water meters typically last 20 years.

The water pressure in the Mountain Street and Hillcrest areas are supplied with mechanical water pumps. The rest of town is supplied by gravity pressure systems. In the instances of power outage or mechanical failure there is a risk of sudden loss of pressure that can lead to cross connection problems. For this reason, the Town has chosen to provide enhanced cross connection control measures as part of the meter installation in these areas. This includes installing a backflow preventer so that water cannot flow backwards from a home back into the water system. Then because water can no longer expand back into the Town water system, the small pressure tank is necessary to protect your plumbing from water expansion that your hot water tank causes. There are no charges for this additional equipment to the homeowner, and it becomes their property after the installation. 

The Water Utility Bylaw (No. 2005) requires that homeowners have a meter and they are responsible for its care and replacement. However, as the Town did not have water meters, if you take part in this installation project, the meter comes with the stated warranty below:

Years 0-5: Full in-home labour and equipment warranty. The Town provides a new meter and installation at no cost to the homeowner.

Years 5-10: Equipment replacement warranty. The Town provides a new meter, the homeowner pays for installation.

Years 10 to 20: Pro-rated equipment warranty. The homeowner pays a partial amount for a new meter and for its installation.

Those who install a meter outside of this project (for example, if a homeowner refuses a water meter or if a new house is built), the homeowner will be responsible for purchasing and installing a meter and it will not come with the five-year in-home warranty.

There is no regular maintenance required for the water meter. Under the Water Utility Bylaw 2005 the homeowner is responsible for the cost of installation, protection, and replacement of water meters. The Town has chosen to complete this installation project because the meters are a new item to the Town. 

Like any mishap this would be an insurance issue. First contact your insurance provider who may subrogate (seek recovery of funds) from the Town and Neptune.  

Water meters will be read remotely to determine consumption and hence water use costs. Reading meters will not usually require home entry.

Under normal operating conditions, the meters are read remotely, and no one needs to enter your residence. If there is a problem with the meter that needs to be investigated or resolved, then Town staff or a contractor may need to enter the home.

Bleeder valves are turned on to prevent water lines from freezing in the winter, especially when the waterline is not buried deep enough to prevent freezing. 

Existing bleeder valves are grandfathered, meaning the Town is responsible for the water used by the bleeder valve. 

The responsibility for future bleeder valves will depend on the specific infrastructure they are protecting. If a bleeder is required due to past freeze-ups on Town infrastructure (between the cc valve and the main line or the main line itself), the bleeder valve water should not be the homeowner's responsibility. However, in MOST cases, the bleeder valve is necessary because the waterline on private property is not buried deep enough, leading to the freeze-up happens between the cc valve and the house. In this instance, the homeowner will have to pay for water used by the bleeder valve.

Municipalities do not typically measure water and wastewater separately. Normally, towns with water meters charge for the amount of potable water consumed—that is, water coming into your home through your meter. Water and wastewater charges are shown as separate items on utility bills as a visual reminder that considerable costs are spent treating and processing wastewater.

Learn more about water meter installation here.

No "Canadian only" companies submitted proposals during the Town's Request for Proposal process.

The following statement was provided to the Town by Neptune Technology Group as part of the proposal process.

"Neptune Technology Group Canada has proudly served Canadian communities for over 100 years by providing advanced water metering solutions. We understand that current uncertainty presents challenges and questions for you and your customers. We want to assure you that we are a Canadian company, deeply committed to excellence and providing services to make us your most valued partner.

Our head office is in Mississauga, Ontario, and we have established permanent field offices across the country in St. Albert, Alberta; Miramichi, New Brunswick; Durham, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; and West Vancouver, British Columbia. These field offices allow us to provide localized support and maintain strong connections with the communities we serve.

We are proud to employ over 175 Canadians and collaborate with more than 200 Canadian installation technician subcontractors. Our team is composed of talented and dedicated professionals who are passionate about contributing to the growth and success of Neptune Technology Group Canada and the communities we serve."

As part of the proposal process, the Town requested reassurances against impacts of US/Canadian tariffs. The following statement was provided to the Town by Neptune Technology Group.

"Neptune understands the market uncertainty at this time, but Neptune Canada has been able to work with our suppliers and the Neptune facilities in Mexico, Canada and the United States to minimize or eliminate the impact of tariffs on the proposed Neptune products under the current tariff conditions. As such, Neptune will commit to honouring the unit rates and costs submitted in our proposal response."

Meters are required by the Water Utility Bylaw 2005 and are not optional. If at the end of the installation project you do not have a water meter, you are non-compliant. You would then be required to purchase the meter and hire a plumber and pay for these costs yourself. Council has not yet decided the financial penalties that would be applied if you do not have a meter at the end of the project. However, in addition to having to pay for installation yourself, it is anticipated that your water and sewer bill will greatly exceed those that chose to get a water meter. 

Neptune has a mobile App that allows residents to monitor their home water use via an internet connection. The app allows you to track water usage and the effectiveness of conservation tactics. You can view water consumption by month, week, or day.

• When you’re at home and no water is being used, you can check the app to ensure that you don’t have any leaks.
• When you go on holiday, you can track water usage at home and immediately identify potential water issues remotely.

The App will not read Hinton residential water meters until the Town’s software updates are complete in spring 2026. The Town will advise residents when the App has been activated, and how to download it and log in

Understanding your meter helps you monitor water use and detect unusual activity early.

To activate the meter screen, lift the lid to let in light. If the screen is off, use a flashlight. The display will cycle through several screens automatically.

Key screens you may see

Water Consumption (00000.0000 m³)
The first 5 digits show cubic metres; last 4 digits show litres.
Example: 00001.2345 = 1 m³ + 234.5 litres or 1234.5 L

Water Temperature (00.0 °C)

Flow Rate (0.00 lpm)
0.00 means no water is running in the house right now.
0.36 = 0.36 litres per minute (L/minute) is how much water is running (ie from taps, toilet flushing, laundry etc.)
If everything in your house is turned off and no water is in use but the meter indicates water flow, then you have a leak.

Other number-only screens are not used by customers and can be ignored.

You can use the water meter to determine how much water each of your activities uses.

If you're interested in conserving water and paying a lower utility bill, check out the water conservation measures on the project page here.  

There are several ways you can pay your utility bills; these include:

• In person with cash, cheque, or Interact 
• Payments can be made at local financial institutions.
• Through online banking
• To automatically withdraw from a bank account, you need a voided cheque for that account and a pre-monthly Payment Plan Form. The payments will be made on the 15th of each month.
• Online payments via OptionPay
• Drop Box outside the Government Centre
• E-transfer directdeposit@hinton.ca password is Hinton

Simply send your account number & email address you would like your bill sent to ar@hinton.ca. Once registered, you will no longer receive a bill in the mail. Instead, you will receive an email when your E-Bill is ready. 

Please note that an additional fee of $2.00 applies for requesting paper billing.

Much of the undeveloped land which could become potential subdivisions is expensive to develop due to steep slopes, the cost of building new residential roads, and the needed installation of additional water, sewer, and storm pipe services.

Most subdivisions are developed by the property landowner (developers) and they include the cost of building roads and installing services in the sale of the lots. Even after the initial construction costs are paid for by lot sales, adding roads and services to an expanded land base increases operating and future capital costs to the Town. Hence, the most cost-effective way of increasing housing options in Hinton is to rezone lots within developed areas which already have road access and underground services.

The Town has heard from many employers that it’s tough to hire people that need to move to Hinton because housing is difficult to find. There are many potential projects in and near the Town that have the potential to increase employment opportunities in Hinton, but employees need places to live.

Current Town residents also need additional housing options as those who would like to buy into the real estate market are struggling to find affordable properties to purchase.

In 2025, the Town rezoned the following lots: 201 MacLeod Avenue, 190 Maurer Drive, 117 – 133 Rowan Street, and 143 Rowan Street.

Information about the properties, their locations, proposed rezoning, and potential uses of the land, are available in the June 3, 2025 Regular Council Meeting agenda.

The Town is actively considering other properties for rezoning and residential development to increase the residential housing supply in Town and meet the needs of current and future residents.

The development timeline is currently unknown. The Town plans to sell the lands with specific conditions to ensure that the lots will be developed appropriately and on a suitable schedule.

Administration is developing an open process for the sale of Town owned property. Additional information will be provided once that process has been determined.

Lot costs will be determined as part of the sale process. The Town will be asking a reasonable price with conditions that encourage residential development on a prompt time schedule. The purpose of the residential infill strategy is to encourage prompt construction of residential housing; therefore, the type of proposed development and schedule of construction will be important aspects of any sales agreements.

The Town of Hinton’s Land Use Bylaw No. 1088 organizes Hinton into Land Use Districts. Each District has Permitted and Discretionary Uses that are allowed for properties in that District. So, depending on the location of lots in Hinton, different Permitted and Discretionary Uses are allowed. Permitted Uses are allowed in a particular district if the proposed development meets the regulations of the bylaw.

Discretionary Uses are not automatically permitted by the Town. They are reviewed by the Town's development department and may be approved depending on their ability to help the Town achieve housing needs and their potential impacts on the surrounding area. 

The lot weas rezoned but rezoning 143 Rowan Street does not mean that the recycling centre cannot stay where it is. 

The majority of recycling centre operations are now paid for by the provincial government through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program. You can find out more about it at albertarecycling.ca. 

In fall 2026, EPR will initiate curb side recycling in Hinton. The Government of Alberta has not informed the Town how the transition to curb side recycling pickup will affect the Rowan Street Recycling Centre.