Property Tax Facts
1. When will I receive my Property Tax Notice?
The Tax Notices are generated after all the tax rates are adopted around the third week of May. This includes not only the City's tax rate but also of those the City collects on behalf of: Hospital, School, Minister of Finance Authority, BC Assessment, Search and Rescue, Regional District...
If you receive your tax notice in the mail, you will likely get it at the beginning of June.
Your tax notice displays a considerable amount of detailed information and you should read it carefully. To determine how much you should pay:
- Select the column you need to pay on your notice - Column A (if you are not eligible for the Home Owner Grant), Column B (if you are eligible for the regular grant), or Column C (if you are eligible for the additional/senior grant)
2. When is the last day to pay my 2023 property taxes?
Property taxes are due July 4. Payments will be accepted without penalty if:
- Delivered to the Services and Resource Centre (SARC) by 4:30 pm on July 4th at the front counter in the Finance Department
- Received at SARC via mail or courier service no later than 4:30 pm on July 4th
- Delivered by midnight on July 4th through the mail slot next to the front doors at SARC
- Received through online banking with an "effective payment date" of July 4th or earlier. Please note it may take 24 to 48 hours for your financial institution to process online/telephone banking so consider this time when making the payment
- Delivered to your financial institution and date stamped no later than July 4th
SARC is located at 411 Dunsmuir Street in downtown Nanaimo, behind the City Hall building.
3. When will penalties be applied?
To ease some pressure for those financially impacted by the pandemic, the penalty date for late tax payment has been modified:
- 2% penalty will be added end of day on July 4th
- 8% penalty will be added end of day August 31st
4. What methods of payment are available?
The City offers various methods of payments:
- Online and Telephone banking through your financial institution
- In person at SARC or at your financial institution
- Mail via Canada Post or Courier
- Drop off Payment
- Mortgage Company
For details please visit the Paying Your Property Taxes page.
5. I need a copy of or I did not receive my tax notice (tax bill). What do I do?
Non-receipt of a tax notice does not excuse a property owner from payment. If you do not receive your tax notice by the second Friday in June:
- Visit MyCity online to get a PDF copy (you must create a profile and register the account if you have not done so yet)
- Email the Property Tax Department: property.info@nanaimo.ca
6. What levies are included on the property tax notice?
Less than half of the taxes collected as displayed on your tax notice is for property taxes. The tax notice includes requisition from other governments and agencies (Hospital, School, Search and Rescue, BC Assessment...).
The City bills user fees (water, sewer, garbage/recycling) separately from the annual tax notice.
7. How does the City calculate the Tax Rate?
The City is not in the business of making money or earning a profit. The City goes through an extensive budgeting process each year to determine the amount of funding required to "run" the municipality and its services.
Tax rates are then adjusted to collect only the revenue required from the assessed base.
Because property taxation does not increase automatically with inflation or changes in the economy, the City must raise taxes each year to fund the increase in the cost of providing the many services it delivers to its residents.
The City is responsible for a budget of over $200 million and maintaining over $3 billion in infrastructure assets such as roads, water mains, facilities, drainage, parks and the sewer system.
8. How are my taxes used?
The taxes you pay for the City's portion of the taxes collected go toward municipal services, projects and programs such as paved roads, recreation centres, parks, police and fire services. Also, one per cent goes towards an increase in funding for the general asset management reserve.
Each property tax bill helps pay for the important City services and initiatives that make Nanaimo a community that is livable, environmentally sustainable and full of opportunity for all generations and walks of life. This is a collaborative effort and taxpayers cannot pick and choose which services they pay for.
9. What is the relationship between my property assessment from BC Assessment and my property tax bill?
The assessment value of a property is the value of its land and improvements (buildings and fixtures) and is used to determine annual property taxes. The assessed value of a property is independently determined by BC Assessment.
Generally, rising assessment does not mean that property taxes will increase. If you property assessment increase is the same or less than the City's average assessment increase (32%), your property taxes should not have a significant increase.
However, if your property assessment increase is above the average increase in assessment for the municipality, you could experience a more sustainable increase.
The most important factor is not how much your assessed value has changed, but how your property's assessed value has changed relative to the average change for your property class.
10. How do I access my property tax account online?
With a MyCity account you can check your property tax account balance, view current and past tax information, payment history and property assessment values, All you need is your property tax notice (or folio number and access code), an email address and access to the internet.
For instructions on how to create a profile and register the tax account, please visit the Register for MyCity page.
11. How to claim your Home Owner Grant
The Home Owner Grant (HOG) reduces the amount of property tax you pay for your principal residence. If you qualify for the HOG, you must apply each year to receive it.
Ways to apply:
- Online (fastest and easiest)
- By phone using automated self-service
- By phone with help from an agent
More information is available on the Province's website.
12. I forgot to claim my Home Owner Grant last year; can I still claim it?
If you have forgotten to claim your 2021 HOG and you were eligible to claim one, you have until December 31, 2022 to claim it retroactively.
After the Home Owner Grant Administration Office approves your grant:
- If your property tax account is paid in full on the day the Retroactive HOG application is finalized at the City, a credit equivalent to the grant amount will be added to your account and applied to the next tax year's balance
- If your property tax account has an outstanding balance, the Home Owner Grant Office will forward the fund directly to the City to be applied to the property tax account
More information available on the Province's website.
13. How do I apply for Tax Deferment?
Tax deferment is a low interest loan program that helps qualified BC homeowners pay their annual property taxes on their principal residence.
The Province offers to deferment programs: Regular (55 or older, surviving spouse or persons with disability) and Families with Children.
For information, visit the Tax Deferment page, or the Province's website.