The B.C. government is taking over the running of the provincial homeowner grant from municipalities.
Making the announcement on Tuesday morning, the province, which already administers the grant for rural homeowners, hopes the move will “ease the burden” on cities.
Homeowners in all municipalities will now submit their applications directly to the B.C. government, instead of through their municipal office.
Similar to previous years, applications will open in May when a majority of property tax notices are received.
Homeowners are reminded to keep their property assessment notice from BC Assessment or property tax notice from their municipality, as they will need their roll and jurisdiction number from their notice to apply for the grant.
The 2021 Home Owner Grant threshold is set at $1.625 million, with the government saying the same percentage of British Columbia homeowners will continue to be eligible.
The grant is reduced by $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value above the threshold.
Some low-income seniors, veterans and people with disabilities can also apply for a supplement that replaces any grant amount they lose due to the value of their home being over the threshold.
The grant amounts for 2021 for homeowners in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Regional District and Capital Regional District are:
* up to $570 for the basic Home Owner Grant; and
* up to $845 for homeowners who are 65 years or older, or the homeowner is a person with a disability or lives with a relative who has a disability.
The grant amounts for 2021 for homeowners located in a northern or rural area (outside Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Regional District and the Capital Regional District) are:
* up to $770; and
* up to $1,045 for homes in northern or rural areas where the homeowner is 65 years or older, or the homeowner is a person with a disability.
Homeowners may also be eligible for property tax deferment if they are 55 years or older or are financially supporting a dependent child.
Learn More:
To find out more about Home Owner Grant centralization starting this year, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/annual-property-tax/home-owner-grant
To find out whether you qualify for property tax deferment, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/annual-property-tax/defer-taxes
People with questions about their assessed property values, including questions about challenging assessments, can contact BC Assessment: https://www.bcassessment.ca/
For French, traditional Chinese and Punjabi translations: http://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FIN0001-000002#translations
