PITT MEADOWS, BC – City Hall will be reopening temporarily from June 15 to July 3, 2020 for property tax payments. Safety measures will be in place, including physical distancing, one-way traffic flow and designated entrance and exit doors. Tax notices have been mailed to property owners, and property tax payment and provincial Home Owner Grant applications are due on July 2.
“We appreciate the efforts of our community to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mayor Bill Dingwall. “We are reopening City Hall to make it easier for community members, who are unable to pay their taxes through their banks or by mail. While the late payment penalty date has been extended to October 1, we encourage everyone to pay their taxes by July 2, so the City can continue to provide vital services to the community during this challenging time.”
“Our priority is the safety of staff and the community,” says Chief Administrative Officer Mark Roberts. “Please follow the safety guidelines at the City Hall, and if you are sick, stay home. Reopening City Hall is a temporary measure, while we develop plans to gradually and safely reopen municipal facilities while following provincial guidelines.”
Property Taxes Due July 2 – How to Pay
There are several convenient ways to pay your taxes. Property tax payments and Home Owner Grant applications are due on Thursday, July 2, 2020. The last day to pay taxes without penalty is September 30, 2020. A late tax payment penalty of 10 per cent will be applied to outstanding amounts on October 1, 2020. The penalty date was postponed by a few months this year to September 30 to provide more time and assistance to taxpayers who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Online banking – Add "City of Pitt Meadows" as a bill payee and your folio number (without the decimal) as your account number.
- In-person banking – Pay your property taxes at most chartered banks, credit unions and participating trust companies.
- Mail – Cheques can be mailed to City of Pitt Meadows 12007 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2B5.
- Secure City Hall drop box (located at the west side main entrance door to City Hall).
- In-person at City Hall – City Hall Customer Service will be temporarily open to the public from Monday to Friday during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) for property tax payments. Safety precautions will be in place. Please stay home if you are feeling unwell.
COVID-19 Financial Relief Grant
The City’s COVID-19 Financial Relief Grant, a one-time grant of $150 for a single-family home and $100 for a multi-family home, is applied automatically to every private individually owned tax account with a Class 1 Residential designation. The amount at the bottom of your notice is the amount due.
If you do not require the reduction in your property tax bill and wish to decline the one-time grant (i.e. you wish to pay the full amount of your residential property taxes without a $100 or $150 reduction), please send an email with the subject line “Waive Grant” to pmtaxes@pittmeadows.ca. Please include your folio number and the access code from your Property Tax Notice.
Provincial Home Owner Grant
Property owners, who are eligible for the Provincial Home Owner Grant, need to apply for the grant every year and are reminded to:
- submit their Home Owner Grant application to the City by mail, in person or using the City Hall drop box; or
- claim the Home Owner Grant online at mypittmeadows.com. You will need your folio number and access code from your Property Tax Notice.
Claim the Home Owner Grant by the July 2, 2020 property tax due date. A 10-per cent late penalty will apply on October 1.
More Information
Find more property tax information at pittmeadows.ca/taxes. Email questions to pmtaxes@pittmeadows.ca or phone 604-465-2418.
COVID-19 and Reopening City Facilities
The City is working on risk assessments and reopening plans for a variety of City facilities. Sports courts and outdoor amenities reopened on May 23, and playgrounds reopened on June 1.
Find updates at pittmeadows.ca/covid19. Access City services online at mypittmeadows.com.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Carolyn Baldridge
Manager of Communications & Community Engagement
City of Pitt Meadows
cbaldridge@pittmeadows.ca