One week left for Vancouver homeowners to make Empty Homes Tax declaration
The City of Vancouver is reminding homeowners they only have one week left to make their annual Empty Homes Tax declaration.
Homeowners who miss the Feb. 2 deadline face a $250 fine, and those who fail to declare at all will have their property deemed vacant, officials warned.
The city said 79 per cent of homeowners had already submitted their declarations as of Jan. 25, but that still leaves upwards of 40,000 outstanding.
The Empty Homes Tax does not apply to principal residences or homes that are rented out for at least half the year. There are also a number of exemptions allowed, including for some plots of vacant land and some homes that are undergoing major renovations or construction.
Homeowners whose properties are determined to be vacant and subject to the tax are now dinged three per cent of the assessed 2021 taxable value. City council voted to increase the rate from 1.5 per cent in November 2020.
A report released that fall by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation found more than 11,000 condos were added to the Metro Vancouver rental market in 2019, an increase that was attributed in part to the tax.
Declarations can be made online, and homeowners can call the city at 311 for help.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
These snakes not only fake their own deaths, they use gory special effects to do it
Awards season may be over for human actors this year, but there’s no rest for some of nature’s most audacious thespians.