*NEW FOR 2021*

To view your tax and utility account detail online and sign up for ebilling,
please visit the new virtual town hall: My Town.
You will need your customer ID from a tax or utility bill and your name
exactly as it appears on the bill.

The fee for a Tax Certificate is $75.00.

Please mail any Tax Certificate request letters via courier or mail to the following address:

Town of The Blue Mountains
Main Floor - Finance
32 Mill Street, PO Box 310
Thornbury ON, N0H 2P0.

The fee for a Water Certificate is $60.00.

Please mail any Water Certificate request letters via courier or mail to the following address:

Town of The Blue Mountains
Main Floor - Finance
32 Mill Street, PO Box 310
Thornbury ON, N0H 2P0.

If you would like to change where your tax bill is mailed, we need your request in writing.

Please complete the Change of Mailing Address Form, and return it to the Town via email, fax at 519-599-2474, or mail it to Finance - First Floor, 32 Mill Street, PO Box 310, Thornbury, ON, N0H 2P0.

You can update the mailing address for your Tax Bill and your Water and Wastewater Bill with this form.

Property Assessment is conducted by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). They are accountable to the Province.

Wondering how MPAC assesses your property? For residential properties, there are five major factors that generally account for 85% of your property value.

• location
• living area
• age of property
• lot dimensions
• quality of construction

There are several property assessment classes such as residential, farm, multi-residential, commercial, and industrial. Assessment is based on current value, meaning, assessment is determined based on sale prices of properties of comparable value.

Changes to your assessment may occur if you make an addition or improvement to your property or if you have received a reduction in your assessed value through an MPAC Request for Reconsideration decision (RfR) or through the Provincial Assessment Review Board (ARB).

For assessment/tax reductions for demolition, class change, etc. (as per Sections 357/358/359 of the Municipal Act, 2001) and commercial vacancy rebates, please complete a Section 357 Application and submit it to the Tax Collector.

If you have questions regarding your assessment or wish to contact MPAC, please call 1-866-296-6722 or visit www.mpac.ca.

The residential tax rate for 2021 is 0.00885390.

The following tax calculator will help you determine the amount of your taxes annually. Please use the value of your home as determined by MPAC for the calculator. If you require assistance in determining the MPAC value of your home please contact MPAC or Town Hall.

Disclaimer

The Tax Calculator application uses The Blue Mountains Council approved residential local tax rates, residential tax rates for the County of Grey and residential tax rates established by the Province of Ontario for education purposes for the year 2021.

The amounts shown on the Tax Calculator are estimates only. Final tax amounts are mailed out annually in early August and may vary from the amounts illustrated in the Tax Calculator. Due to the various tax rates in The Blue Mountains, the complexity of tax calculations, tax policy and provincial legislation, the Tax Calculator does not include the following:

• Local Improvements and associated administrative fees.
• Special area rated services.
• Any adjustments to taxes such as ARB decisions, Section 357 tax or class adjustments, Minutes of Settlement, or Supplementary Taxes.

The Blue Mountains cannot be held responsible for any legal liabilities arising from the use of the Tax Calculator as it is an estimator only.

There are two tax billings each year with two installments each.

The Interim Bills are sent out in early March. They are based on 50% of the prior year's taxes.

Interim Due Dates: March 26, 2021 and May 26, 2021.

The Annual (Final) Tax Bills are sent out in early August. They include total taxes and special charges for the year and deduct the interim amount.

Final Due Dates: August 26, 2021 and October 26, 2021.

If there have been changes to your property assessment due to new construction in the year or the previous two years, you will receive a Supplementary Tax Notice based on the supplementary or omitted assessment. The Supplementary Due Date(s) for these bills will be at least 21 days after the date of the notice.

Penalty in the amount of 1 1/4 per cent (1.25%) of the amount of unpaid taxes will be charged for the non-payment of taxes on the first day of the month following the due date.

Further interest charges in the amount of 1 1/4 per cent (1.25%) of unpaid taxes will be charged on the first day of each and every month thereafter.

In Person

At the ‘Finance’ Reception Desk on the Main Floor at Town Hall, located at 32 Mill Street, Thornbury.

Office Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Direct Debit accepted. Please note that Credit Cards are not accepted. There is a box marked ‘After Hours Mail’ outside the east doors where you can drop cheque/money order payments.

By Mail

Send your cheque/money order payable to The Blue Mountains to:

Town of The Blue Mountains
Main Floor - Finance
32 Mill Street, PO Box 310
Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0

Please include the payment stub, or indicate the tax account roll number on the payment.

Please mail your cheque to Town Hall early enough to be received before the deadline. Cheques may be post-dated to ensure timely payment processing.

By Courier

Send your payment to:
Town of The Blue Mountains
Main Floor - Finance
32 Mill Street
Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0.

At Your Bank

Ensure the Teller selects Blue Mountains (Town of) Tax and not your Utility account.

There is a transfer fee of $20 charged for incorrect payment per instance, after the first instance.

Telephone

Check with your financial institution for information on setting up this method of payment.

Internet

To set up, search ‘Payees’ for Blue Mountains (Town of) Tax. When entering your account number, use the first 15 digits of the roll number i.e. 424200000123456 (leave off the last four zeros).

Exception: RBC customers: the first four digits - 4242 - is hardcoded, and last four zeros have to be included.

Please note that if you have your taxes and utilities set up for payment via internet, always ensure to select your ‘Tax’ account when making tax payments and not your ‘Utilities’ account. There is a transfer fee of $20 charged for incorrect payment per instance after the first instance.

Through a Mortgage Company

Mortgage companies may provide a service to pay property taxes as part of your monthly mortgage installment. In this case, you will receive a copy of your final annual tax bill after payment has been made by your mortgage company.

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan “PAP”

Plan #1 – Ten Monthly Withdrawals

The amount of your previous year’s taxes will be automatically withdrawn in ten equal installments, on the first day of each month – January through August. A letter indicating this amount will be mailed in early December.

In August, when the final tax amount for the year is levied, the monthly payment amount will be recalculated and a letter mailed to you. This new payment amount will be withdrawn on the first day of September and October.

This monthly plan must be set up by November of the previous year – it is not possible to enroll in the monthly mid-year.

To sign up for the Monthly Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, please complete the Tax Pre-Authorized Form and mail or fax it to the Town office along with a void cheque.

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan “PAP”

Plan #2 – Four Withdrawals on the Due Dates

On each of four due dates, the end of March, May, August and October, the tax installment will be automatically withdrawn from your bank account.

Notes:

• You are eligible if you have no outstanding taxes.
• You do not have to reapply every year.
• For your information, you will continue to receive Interim and Final Tax Notices if you are on Plan #2. Those on Pre-Authorized Payments for Plan #1 will only receive a final tax bill. These notices will be marked as being paid via ‘PAP’.

To sign up for the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, please complete the Tax Pre-Authorized Form and mail or fax it to the Town office along with a void cheque.

If you've sold your property or changed locations, you or your financial institution must contact us to update the account information or remove the pre-authorization, otherwise you might pay the new owners taxes!

For information on the Town's various Fees and Charges, please refer to the 2020 Fees and Charges By-law.