Around 40 per cent of property owners paid their annual property taxes to the City of Campbell River online, according to a report from the city’s financial planning department.
Most property owners in the city paid by the July 2 due date, despite council directing that no penalties would be applied on late payments until Oct.1. In person payments made up the second largest chunk, with just over 26 per cent of people paying at City Hall. Of those who paid in person at City Hall, almost 300 used the city’s new drive-through service.
“We have new hand and surface cleaning requirements, and, with physical distancing requirements, the process was slower because we could only have two people, rather than four, working at the front counter,” said financial planning officer Dennis Brodie.
“People were very understanding. To avoid standing in line, almost 300 people took advantage of the six days of drive-through service, including a few people on bicycles,” he added “The new drive-through service got good reviews. Most people who used it suggested we should offer it every year at tax time.”
Other major tax payments were made as part of mortgages, or by pre-authorized withdrawals and the provincial tax deferral program.
Based on a provincial survey of municipalities, Campbell River collected a higher percentage of taxes due by July 2. Only Williams Lake, Abbotsford, Gibsons and Cranbrook collected a larger portion of property taxes.
Other stats:
• One per cent of property tax payments were by were credit card, another new option this year.
• 900 property owners paid using pre-authorized withdrawals – a four per cent increase over 2019.
• Approximately five per cent of property tax payments were deferred this year – similar to past years.
• 77.5 per cent paid in full
• 81 per cent of overall tax dollars collected
Brodie asked that those who have not yet paid their property taxes try to do so online to maintain safety.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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