The city is extending the deadline for Toronto homeowners to declare their property occupancy status via the Vacant Home Tax portal until the end of of the month.
While Feb. 2 was the official declaration deadline, the city has made it so that residential property owners can still submit a late declaration using the portal without penalty until Feb. 28.
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“We understand that declaring the occupancy status of one’s residential property is a new process for Toronto homeowners, and we want to give them every opportunity to make their declaration before the Vacant Home Tax notices are issued,” Mayor John Tory said in a statement.
“The vast majority of Toronto property owners will not pay the Vacant Home Tax because their properties are not vacant, and we encourage those who have yet to make a declaration to do so soon.”
To make their declaration, homeowners just need their property assessment roll number and customer number, which can be found on the most recent property tax bill or on the declaration notices mailed out by the city late last year.
Homeowners who do not have access to a computer can authorize someone to act on their behalf to make the online submission.
As of Friday morning, the city had received online declarations from 86.7% of residential property owners who were sent a notice about the declaration requirement.
The city will also mail reminder notices to property owners who did not declare occupancy status by the Feb. 2 deadline explaining they can submit a late declaration by the end of February without penalty.
If a declaration is not received by then, the property will be deemed vacant and the owner must pay the Vacant Home Tax in the amount of 1% of their property’s Current Value Assessment (CVA).
