Administration is recommending that the process for preparation and mailing of the final 2020 tax bills be deferred by one month in order to ensure that all payments remitted by June 30, 2020 can be posted to taxpayer accounts prior to the issuance of the final tax bills. Preparing and printing tax bills prior to this date would result in some taxpayers receiving a tax bills that reflect an outstanding “arrears” balance in the overall tax balance due which may not be the case if those amounts were paid by June 30th. Administration is also recommending that City Council establish due dates which would ensure that all property tax payments are received by December 31, 2020.
Following approval of this report, Administration will finalize the billing process with a mailing date on or around July 20, 2020. As indicated, this is one month later than would otherwise be the case and is the latest that Administration can delay the preparation of the bills while still maintaining each of the 10 month pre-authorized payment plans.
Council is required to set the due dates upon which tax payments must be made. Property owners are able to make payments on their own or utilize one of our pre-authorized payment plans (PAP). It should be noted that in the past, the due dates for the final tax billing installments were set in the months of July, September and November to allow for a longer period between due dates for those taxpayers who chose to make payment on their own. Given the proposed delay in the issuance of the bills, Administration is recommending a change to the 1st instalment date being August as opposed to July. The remaining two due dates for September and November would remain consistent with prior years. The withdrawal dates for the monthly pre-authorized payment plans would be set so as to receive all tax payments prior to the end of the year.
| In Person | Pre-Authorized Payment Plans | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Due Date/Instalment |
Due Date/Instalment | Mid-Month | End of Month |
| August 17, 2020 | August 31, 2020 | ||
| August 19, 2020 | August 19, 2020 | September 15, 2020 |
September 30, 2020 |
| September 16, 2020 |
September 16, 2020 | October 15, 2020 | October 30, 2020 |
| November 18, 2020 |
November 18, 2020 | November 16, 2020 |
November 30, 2020 |
| December 15, | December 31, | ||