Burman University Amendment Act, 2025*

Summary#

This bill updates the private law that governs Burman University in Alberta. Its main goal is to fix old wording so it matches today’s names and location.

• Replaces “College Heights” with “Lacombe” as the university’s location and head office.
• Replaces leftover uses of “college” with “university.”
• Keeps the existing property tax exemption for university property, including student dorm rooms and a few on‑site staff residences; the wording now says “university” instead of “college.”
• Does not create new programs, powers, or taxes.

What it means for you#

• Students

  • No change to courses, admissions, or fees.
  • On‑campus dorm rooms remain part of the university’s property that is exempt from regular property taxes.

• University staff

  • Day‑to‑day work is unchanged.
  • A small number of on‑site staff residences (two supervising administrators and one full‑time custodian, as already in law) remain covered by the tax exemption.

• Local governments

  • The law now names “Lacombe,” matching current municipal boundaries.
  • Property tax treatment for the university stays the same. Local improvement charges (for specific projects like sidewalks) can still apply.

• Nearby residents and businesses

  • No direct changes to services or taxes.
  • The bill is mainly a housekeeping update to names and location.

• Burman University

  • Legal documents will match the university’s current name and city.
  • Reduces risk of confusion over whether the tax exemption applies to “university” facilities and housing (it does, as before).

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

• The bill mainly updates names and location in the university’s founding law.
• It does not add new spending or expand tax exemptions beyond what already exists, so overall costs to governments are expected to be minimal.

Proponents’ View#

• Brings the law up to date with the university’s name and the City of Lacombe, reducing confusion.
• Ensures the property tax rules clearly apply to a university, not a college, matching current reality.
• Helps with clean records for legal, financial, and accreditation purposes.
• Makes it easier for the university and local authorities to administer rules without outdated terms.

Opponents’ View#

• Some may see this as unnecessary use of legislative time for small wording changes.
• Others may argue this was a chance to review or narrow the university’s broad property tax exemption, including student and limited staff housing.
• A few might worry that keeping these exemptions leaves less property tax revenue for the city, even if the bill does not expand them.