Investing in your City: Expanded Low-Income Tax Rebate Program

Burlington Investments
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Our weekly "Investing in your City" series continues, highlighting  some of the significant investments being made in Burlington and that our community will benefit from.

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Some residents are on fixed or low incomes and struggle to meet increased costs, including to property taxes -- that is why in Burlington's 2024 Budget, Council voted to triple the investment in our City’s property tax rebate program to expand income and age eligibility beyond seniors. Expanding the program to include low-income homeowners with disabilities is a great next step in assisting more residents to help them manage tax increases at a time when day-to-day costs continue to be a challenge for many.On April 16, Council unanimously approved the following from the staff report and related appendix here (Staff report: F-03-24 Low-income Property Tax Rebate Program.pdf / Appendix: Appendix A F-03-24 Low-income Property Tax Rebate Program.pdf):

  • Continue the current low-income senior property tax rebate program and broaden to include eligible homeowners for low-income persons with disabilities as outlined in the criteria contained in Appendix A (see further down this post) to finance department report F-03-24; and
  • Direct the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the Executive Director of Legal Services & Corporation Counsel to prepare the necessary By-Law for the Low- Income Property Tax Rebate Program, for approval at Council on April 16th, effective for the2024 taxation year; and
  • Forward to the Region of Halton the Low-Income Property Tax Rebate By-law and formally request the Region participate in the cost sharing of the tax rebate program.

Guiding Principles for the Low-Income Property Tax Rebate Bylaw Criteria:

Criteria for Eligibility Low-Income Senior Tax Rebate* Adding Low-Income Persons with Disabilities Tax Rebate*
Age Person aged 65+ as of Dec. 31 of the previous year Eligible homeowner (all ages)
Income Criteria In receipt of benefits paid under Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)** In receipt of benefits paid under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act (ODSP), and eligible to claim a disability as defined under the Income Tax Act**
Property Home Ownership Personal and primary residence Personal and primary residence
Applicant Assessed owner or spouse of owner in receipt of GIS benefit Assessed owner in receipt of ODSP benefit
Rebate $575 $575
Proof of Income GIS = Guaranteed Income Supplement* ODSP = Ontario Disability Support Program*
Property Tax Status Property taxes are up to date (paid in full) Property taxes are up to date (paid in full)
Property Rebate One rebate per property, grant applied to property tax account One rebate per property, applied to property tax account
Length of Property Home Ownership At least one year preceding the application At least one year preceding the application
Application Annual before Dec. 31 each year Annual before Dec. 31 each year
Applicant Not own more than one property in Burlington (new) Not own more than one property in Burlington
*Applicants are eligible for one rebate if in receipt of GIS or ODSP.**Eligible criteria are based on documentation obtained from residents based on senior government documentation.

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