Statement from the Mayor: Burlington Approves Interim Property Tax Relief

COVID-19
Written By

*Please see a statement from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward below.Burlington, Ont. – April 7, 2020 – Yesterday, at a special meeting of council, city council unanimously approved relief of penalty and interest for property taxes in the months of April and May 2020 and relief of the administration charge for any returned payments during that time.The City has received numerous concerns from both the business community and homeowners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic impact. The City currently has one property tax instalment date remaining for interim billing on April 21. The temporary property tax relief will allow businesses and homeowners to make their April 21 instalment by June 30 without incurring late payment charges.Financial supports from the federal and provincial governments are also being introduced to support individuals and businesses. The temporary changes being recommended would mean that for the months of April and May 2020:

  • No penalty will be charged for the April 21 installment for all property owners;
  • No month-end interest will be charged for all property owners in April and May;
  • No returned payment admin fee will be charged by the City for any returned tax payments (i.e. insufficient funds, stop payment); and
  • The next tax payment is not due until June 30.

Pre-Authorized tax payments will continue to be withdrawn. Individuals on a pre-authorized payment plan who are unable to make payment can temporarily suspend their withdrawals from their account by emailing pap@burlington.ca. The City requires notification at least three business days prior to the withdrawal date.Taxpayers who sent a postdated cheque to the City for their April 21 tax installment and can no longer make payment have been asked to put a stop payment on the cheque at their bank.Property taxes are the most important revenue source for the city to ensure we continue to provide essential services for residents of the City of Burlington during these challenging circumstances. Taxpayers are encouraged to make payments where possible during these unique times. This temporary relief will be reviewed by staff and council on an ongoing basis until the State of Emergency related to COVID-19 is lifted.Sincerely,Mayor Marianne Meed Ward--RELATED LINKS:

—PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist

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