Introduction
In 2017, the City of Vancouver introduced its annual residential vacancy tax (or “empty homes tax”). At that time, the tax rate was 1% of the assessed value of a subject property. The governing statute and administration program were…
Vacant housing taxes came into effect in Toronto and Ottawa for 2022, meaning that homeowners will have to file their first occupancy status declaration by February 2023 (for Toronto) and March 2023 (for Ottawa). Toronto’s portal is now open for…
Unlike most tax audits across the country, the pandemic has failed to disrupt audits under the City of Vancouver’s empty homes tax (“EHT”). Paradoxically, those audits appear to be increasing in recent months. More so than other audit types, EHT audits…
Several weeks ago the Vancouver city council passed a motion instructing its staff to develop a plan that would “improve the fairness and effectiveness of the Empty Homes Tax [or EHT]…”. This would require a review of “the fairness and…