The following enforcement methods are to be used:
- Interest levy (monthly statements)
- Reminder notices
- Telephone contact
- Personalized letters
- Registered letters
- Rent seizures
- Court action
- Bailiff
- Tax Sale Registration
Payment Options
Taxes are payable at the municipal office and through all financial institutions within the municipality.
Payments will be in the form of cash, cheques or pre-authorized payments. Cheques post-dated to the installment due date will be accepted and held by the Tax Collector.
Bills can also be paid though online banking and pre-authorized payment plan.
Non-sufficient Funds (NSF) Cheques
NSF cheques and returned cheques are subject to a processing fee.
Interest and Penalty
Interest is added to all outstanding or overdue taxes on the first day of each month. The rate of interest is established by a municipal by-law and applied to all arrears (1.25% per month; 15% per year).
Interest is adjusted only in accordance with:
- Tax adjustments made under Sections 441 and 357 of the Municipal Act;
- Assessment Review Board and OMB decisions;
- Payments that have been received before month end, but have not been processed through the cashiers prior to the interest levy;
- Approved by the Treasurer as gross or manifest clerical errors.
Tax Billing Cycle
Taxes are levied on the basis of two (2) billings per year as established by municipal by-laws.
The installments have due dates as follows:
Interim Levy
Last business day of February
Last business day of April
Final Levy
Last business day of June
Last business day of August
- Any applicable local improvement charges, sewage levy and BIA charges are included in both levies.
- Taxes are presently levied on two (2) tax bills with two (2) installment due dates on each tax bill.
- The first bill, known as the interim bill, is based on 50% of the previous year's total residential annualized taxes.
- The second bill, known as the final bill, is based on the current year's tax rates less the amount levied under the interim bill.
- Supplementary taxes are billed as soon as possible upon receipt of the supplementary listings from the Regional Assessment Office.
Reminder Notices
The notices of arrears are sent to remind the taxpayer of the current delinquency with respect to taxation and also to determine whether discrepancies exist within the account that should be followed up on an immediate basis.
In those months of the year in which no billing is delivered or due, a notice of past due taxes is sent to the taxpayers whose accounts are in arrears.
However, no reminder notice is sent to those accounts in which the minimum balance is $5.00 or less, except for the first set of reminder notices after a billing is due.
Tax Collection
- After 30 days of a due date, taxpayers in arrears are sent a reminder notice (statement) requesting payment of the outstanding balance in full or to contact the tax collector in order to arrange for suitable payment.
- After 45 days of a due date, taxpayers in arrears are contacted by telephone.
- After 60 days of a due date, taxpayers in arrears are sent a personalized letter requesting payment in full or to contact the tax collector in order to arrange for suitable payment. For rental properties, the personalized letter will inform that rent seizure may be implemented.
- After 75 days of a due date, taxpayers in arrears are contacted by telephone.
- After 90 days of a due date, taxpayers in arrears are sent a registered letter stating that Small Claims Court proceedings will begin in 15 days if no payments or arrangements are made. For rental properties, the registered letter will state that rent seizure will be implemented in 15 days if no payments or arrangements are made.
- After 120 days of a due date, accounts in arrears are sent to the Small Claims Court for collection. For rental properties, rent seizure is implemented and a letter is sent to the tenants advising them to remit their rent payments directly to the Town.
