The city is reminding property owners that they have until Sept. 30 to pay outstanding property taxes and claim the provincial home owner grant before a 10 per cent penalty is added on Oct. 1.
“Most property owners in Campbell River paid their property taxes by the July 2 due date, but for those who haven’t yet, we want to remind them that there’s still time to pay – and claim the provincial home owner grant – before penalties are applied,” says Dennis Brodie, the city’s financial planning officer. “We also want to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and encourage people to take advantage of online options if possible.”
The city says nearly 40 per cent of Campbell River property owners who paid their taxes by July 2 paid online.
Paying and claiming the home owner grant online:
Pay property taxes online through your financial institution, or with credit card from the city’s website (link to Payments on the homepage at campbellriver.ca).
A 2.5 per cent fee applies to credit card payments.
Claim provincial home owner grants online (link to Home Owner Grant on the homepage at campbellriver.ca). Use your folio number and access code from your 2020 tax notice.
Paying and claiming the home owner grant in-person:
Payments can be made at your bank, but they will not accept the home owner grant application.
City Hall is open for payments (debit/cheque/credit card). Cash will not be accepted.
The city is also reminding property owners to expect lineups if paying in person, and to please follow precautions as directed.
“We have new hand and surface cleaning requirements, and, with physical distancing requirements, the process is slower because we can have only one person, rather than two, working at the front counter,” Brodie says.
The city says that by July 2 this year, 81 per cent of overall tax dollars were collected and 900 property owners paid using pre-authorized withdrawals – a four per cent increase over 2019.
People who register for a MyCity account can review current and past property tax information through this secure service on the city’s website.
Property owners who have not yet received a tax notice in the mail should contact the city’s finance department by email to taxes@campbellriver.ca or by calling 250-286-5715.