Property tax notices will be coming in the mail this week for both the City of Kelowna and West Kelowna, and residents are reminded to apply for the provincial Home Owner Grant to save some money.
Taxes will be due in both jurisdictions on Tuesday, July 2.
READ MORE: Kelowna city hall proposes a 4.4% property tax hike in 2019
Property taxes can be paid online or through most financial institutions, by mail or by visiting City Hall or the Municipal Hall. Drop boxes are available at both locations for residents who cannot make regular business hours.
Taxes are assessed on the value of the property based on annual evaluations by BC Assessment Kelowna. The taxes collected are divided among the municipality, the province, regional district and the library. A 4.1 per cent property tax increase was approved for Kelowna City Council for 2019 — that’s a 1.83 per cent increase for municipal taxes and a 2.27 per cent increase towards an infrastructure levy to tackle the deficit.
READ MORE: West Kelowna property tax notices issued
West Kelowna has a 10 per cent penalty for taxes that are not paid by July 2 — including any unclaimed Home Owner Grant amounts. Property owners who are unable to pay their taxes in full have the opportunity to reduce that penalty by paying as much as they can towards the full amount and claiming the grant by the due date.
The City of Kelowna’s online billing platform allows registered property owners to access their tax notice, apply for the grant, view past bills and transaction history and opt-in to go paperless for next year. All residents need is their folio number and access code, which can be found on the notice itself.
For additional information contact the City of West Kelowna Tax Department at 778-797-8860, or visit the City of Kelowna’s website at kelowna.ca/propertytax.
