Late payments and penalties
Tax payment is due June 30. If payment was not received by the due date outlined on your tax bill, late payment penalties will apply. When submitting payment, ensure adequate time for payments to be processed and received prior to the deadline.
Late payments
Late payments
What happens if you miss the due date
- If you miss the deadline, we’ll send a reminder notice detailing how much you owe, including penalties and fees.
- A percentage of the unpaid balance is added as a penalty on specific dates.
- The longer you wait, the more penalties will accumulate, so it’s best to pay as soon as possible.
| Date applied | Penalty |
|---|---|
| July 1 | A penalty of 7% of the unpaid amount of the current year's tax levy will be imposed |
| October 1 | A penalty of 7% of the unpaid amount of the current year's tax levy will be imposed |
| After December 31 of current tax year | All taxes remaining unpaid will have an additional 1% added for each month, beginning in January |
Penalties are applied in accordance with Penalty Bylaw 8M2002.
Non-sufficient funds (NSF)
Non-sufficient funds (NSF)
What to do if your payment is returned
A bounced (dishonoured) payment happens when a cheque or electronic payment is returned by your financial institution. This can happen for various reasons, such as insufficient funds or incorrect account details. If this happens:
- The payment will be removed from your account.
- A service charge of $35 will be added.
- For multiple roll numbers, an additional service charge of $10 may be applied to each roll number.
- If a payment is made to the wrong account or was intended for multiple accounts, a $25 service charge may apply for any corrections/transfers.
- A statement will be mailed advising you of the returned payment and any applicable service charges.
Service charges are subject to change.
How to pay your property tax
Each property owner is responsible for paying all outstanding property tax balances. We offer a variety of payment options, which can be found by visiting property tax payment.
You may also qualify to sign up for the Tax Instalment Payment Plan (TIPP), allowing you to make smaller monthly payments instead of paying in one large lump sum.
Eligibility: To enroll, any overdue balance or penalties from previous years must be paid off first. If you only owe taxes or penalties from this year, you may still qualify for TIPP.
Missed or returned TIPP payments
If your TIPP payment is returned or rejected by your bank, here’s what you need to know:
- We won’t attempt a second withdrawal.
- You must pay the missed amount using an available payment method.
- Pay promptly to stay enrolled in TIPP, or your agreement may be canceled, and all unpaid taxes will be due immediately, with penalties.
- A $35 service charge will apply. Paying the missed payment won't remove the fee.
Note: If you have multiple properties enrolled in TIPP and your combined monthly payment is returned, you must pay each missed payment separately using its unique roll number. An additional $10 service charge will apply to each affected account.
Service charges are subject to change.
If you joined TIPP shortly before the property tax due date, a penalty might appear. This will be removed once your agreement and first payment are processed.
If you joined TIPP after the due date, the penalty is valid and won’t be removed.
Do you feel you received a late payment penalty in error?
It’s important to remember as outlined on your tax bill that your payment must not only be sent before the due date, but also received by The City before the due date. If you sent your payment through your bank, it typically takes a few days before it’s received by a vendor. To check when your payment was received contact us.
What happens if you don’t pay
Property tax recovery process
When property taxes go unpaid, cities have provincially legislated processes in place to recover the funds.