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Property Taxes
Property taxation is an important component and source of Municipal revenue. The amount of money raised through property taxes for Municipal use is set by Council, but other components of the tax system are regulated by the Province. The Local Government Act provides very detailed regulation of Municipal taxation.
The District of Port Hardy issues property tax notices annually (by May 31) to all registered owners for taxes covering the period of January 1 to December 31 of the current year. If a tax notice is not received by June 15, please contact the District. This may occur due to a recent purchase of property whereby the notice was sent to the previous owner or mailed to an old address. If a sale of property occurs during the year, property taxes are adjusted by either a notary or a lawyer. The District of Port Hardy is not responsible for the adjustment of taxes due to property sales.
Property taxes are due the first business day following the July 1 holiday, with any outstanding balance subject to a 10% penalty after the deadline. An unclaimed homeowner grant is considered to be outstanding taxes. Click here to learn more about homeowner grants. Property tax notices are mailed to the property owner’s address currently on file in our system. If you have a change to your mailing address, please advise the District of Port Hardy in person at the Municipal Hall or in writing – by fax at 250-949-7433 or email: reception@porthardy.ca and notify BC Assessment at their online form.
Property Tax Rate Information:
Tax Rates
Each year, Council decides how much money it must raise through property taxes. This, together with the assessed value of the taxable property, determines the tax rate. Tax rates are expressed in “dollars per thousand”. A rate of $6 per thousand means that the owner would pay $6 for every $1,000 of assessed value. For a $200,000 property, the taxes would be $1,200 ($200 x $6). Council and Municipal staff do not have the power to “negotiate” the taxes on an individual parcel of property.
Assessments
BC Assessment, established under Provincial legislation and independent of the Municipality, produces an annual property assessment for all property owners in the Province. Municipalities are not involved in determining assessed values. The District of Port Hardy uses these assessments to calculate its annual property taxes determined during the budget process. BC Assessment Change of Address form
BC Assessment mails Assessment Notices to every homeowner the first week of January each year. The assessments outline the market value of the land and its improvements. If you disagree with the assessment value applied to your property, you have a limited time to appeal your assessment (Deadline January 31).
Appealing Your Assessment
If you wish to appeal your assessment, you must do so prior to January 31st in each calendar year. The Property Assessment Review Panel produces a guide to assist those who wish to appeal. For more information on your assessment and the appeal process, please contact BC Assessment directly.
Other Tax Levies
The municipality acts as the tax collector for other agencies listed below. Municipalities must pay the taxes to the specific agency, even if property owners do not pay their taxes. Municipalities have no control over the other agencies’ tax rates. The rates are set by the agency and/or the Provincial Government. Tax levies include school taxes, police taxes, Vancouver Island Regional Library, the Mt. Waddington Regional hospital, the Municipal Finance Authority, the Regional District of Mt. Waddington, and the BC Assessment Authority.
Property Tax Sales
The Tax Sale is a way for a Municipality to collect unpaid taxes. Any property with delinquent taxes (2 years overdue) is subject to Tax Sale. The Local Government Act allows the municipality to auction those properties with delinquent taxes to collect the taxes. If a property owner does not pay the delinquent taxes, plus interest, before 10:00 a.m. on the day of the auction, the property will be sold at the Tax Sale. The Tax Sale is held annually on the last Monday of September at 10:00 a.m.
The property owner has up to a year to redeem a property sold at Tax Sale. Click here for a detailed list of steps involved in a Tax Sale or, for more information, call the Finance Department at 250/949-6665.