Letter: Death and Squamish taxes

The deadline for the municipal and property taxes (July 4, 2022) has come and gone.

For those who missed the deadline, even those who receive the Home Owners Grant, there’s a 5% penalty, and those who miss after July 31, 2022, will have to pay another 5%.

Even if they were away on vacation.

Even if they didn’t receive the notice in the mail.

No exceptions.

I already found that out.

Our municipality is unforgiving.

This is harsh but understandable.

 However, how many of us realize that one has to claim the Home Owner Grant each year?

As a grant recipient, the amount is automatically covered by my mortgage company.

So, I felt assured that my property tax would be paid. Surely, if the amount is deducted from my mortgage and paid by my company, that is an assurance that my circumstances haven’t changed.  

However, how many of us know that if one does not apply for the grant each and every year, they can be denied receiving it?

Those who are unaware of this stipulation are forced to pay the full property tax amount.

 Isn’t the grant to help out seniors and low-income folks struggling to pay any tax?

I had initially felt assured that the mortgage company had paid the tax, but checked anyway.

Oh, dear.

 I had not applied this year separately and was charged the full amount. Grant denied!

In our busy lives, who has the consideration or time to remember to make a claim every year, particularly when the amount is covered by the mortgage company?

If this has happened to you, please notify the tax folks if they want to hold people to account; they should be more accountable.

As my English aunt Gwen, used to say, “This is NOT on!”

Melody Wales,

Squamish

Editor’s note:

The Homeowner Grant Program is a Provincial program provided to reduce the amount of property tax paid by the property owner and is administered by the provincial government. Information on how to apply for the homeowner’s grant is located at the top of the back of the property tax and utilities notice.

The homeowner grant can be applied for until December 31 of the current tax year. Furthermore, homeowners who qualified for the grant for the previous tax year and did not apply may also be able to claim the grant retroactively for up to one year.

Property tax information, including penalty information, ways to pay and how to apply for the grant, is included on the Property Tax Notice.

 Detailed information about the homeowner grant program, how to apply and how to apply retroactively can be found at

www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/annual-property-tax/home-owner-grant.