The Township collects property taxes on behalf of the Township of Wainfleet, the Niagara Region and the Province of Ontario (Education). To find out more information on how your taxes are calculated, how to pay your taxes and other information, please see the below.
The Township of Wainfleet's tax department creates tax bills for all properties within our boundaries. Your bill includes taxes collected by the Township and taxes collected on behalf of Niagara Region and Ontario's school boards. The property taxes you pay are our main source of revenue and helps us provide you with services such as road maintenance, arena facilities, cemeteries and recreation programs.
Tax Due Dates
We issue tax bills for all properties biannually with each bill divided into two installments.
Interim Tax Bills
Interim tax billing is issued and mailed by the first week of February and covers the first half of the current year's taxes. The interim billing is calculated as 50% of your previous year's taxes since the Township cannot pass and finalize the annual tax rate until later in the year.
Installment due dates are:
- Last business day of February
- Last business day of April
Final Tax Bills
The final billing is issued and mailed by the first week in July and covers the second half of the year's property taxes. The billing is based on the new annual tax rate, which is set according to the budgetary needs of the Township and Upper Tier. The final bill is calculated as follows: (Assessment Value x Tax Rate) minus the interim billing amount.
Installment due dates are:
- Last business day of July
- Last business day of September
Failure to Receive Tax Bill
Please note that failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer from the responsibility for payment, nor from the liability for penalties charged. If you receive a tax bill in error, or do not receive your tax bill, please notify the Township immediately.
The Township is excited to announce the upcoming launch of e-Billing for property tax, supplemental, and drainage bills!
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- Each year, Township staff develop estimates of the amounts needed to provide services to residents for the year
- Council reviews the estimated amounts, makes changes if necessary, and approves the Final Budget
- The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) provides us with your property assessment and classification each year
- The Treasurer creates the tax rates by dividing the total Final Budget's dollar figure by the Township's total weighted assessment
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We then calculate your individual annual property taxes by multiplying your property's assessment by the tax rates as set out by the Township, Region and the Province's Education Minister
NEW! Property Tax Calculator
Use the Niagara Regions Property Tax Calculator to determine the annual property taxes for both the current and previous years.
Select Wainfleet and enter the required property information to calculate taxes for the selected year.
Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is a not-for-profit corporation funded by all Ontario municipalities. Their role is to accurately assess and classify all properties in Ontario in compliance with the Assessment Act and regulations set by the Government of Ontario.
Property Assessment Notices
Every four years, MPAC will mail a Property Assessment Notice to every property owner in Ontario. Since property taxes are calculated using MPAC's assessed value of your property, it is very important for you to:
- Understand your Property Assessment Notice
- Know what to do if you have questions about your Assessment
You can see your assessed value on your property tax bill or by contacting MPAC and registering as a user to view your AboutMyProperty account. Through AboutMyProperty you can learn how your property was assessed, see information on file and compare with other properties in your area. For more information or to login click here.
- I disagree with my Assessment Value......What do I do?
If you disagree with the assessment value of your property you will need to file a Request for Reconsideration (RFR) with MPAC. There is no fee for filing an RFR and the deadline to apply for each year is February 28th. Applications are available at www.mpac.ca. Once you receive the RFR decision, if you are not satisfied with the results you may file a formal appeal with the Assessment Review Board (ARB) however there is a cost to file with the ARB. You must file your appeal with the ARB before the deadline which is 90 days from the mailing date on your RFR decision. You can find more information on ARB appeals here.
Farm, Managed Forest and Conservation Land properties must first apply for Request for Reconsideration with their respective Program Administrators before appealing through the Assessment Review Board.
Please note the assessment value is the only amount that can be appealed, you cannot appeal the property tax rate or property tax ratios that are used to calculate your property taxes owing.
Assessment Appeals cannot be made through the Township of Wainfleet.
You can change your mailing address by completing the Mailing Address Change Authorization Form and returning it to the Township Office. This will ensure that you will get all future correspondence from the Tax Department.
Property owners in Ontario are required to support a school board, even if they do not have children or their children are not currently attending school. In the case of a residential property occupied by tenants, the tenants can direct the school support for that property. By default, school support is directed to your municipality's English Public School Board.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is legislatively required to collect school support information and provide it in the assessment roll to every municipality and school board. By ensuring that you are supporting the school board of your choosing, you will be able to vote in the next municipal and school board election for trustees in that school board. Property owners, occupants, and tenants can update their school support designation online at mpac.ca/schoolsupport.
In accordance with the Municipal Act of Ontario, penalty and interest of 1.25% are added on the first day of each month on any outstanding amounts. Failure to receive a tax notice does not excuse the responsibility for payment of your taxes, interest and penalties. It is the responsibility of the tax payer to know the due dates and ensure that instalments are paid on time. Upon default of payment, the installment amount or any balance owing becomes immediately due and payable and may be collected as permitted by legislation.
Please contact the Township if you do not receive a bill by phone 905-899-3463 x 222 or email, taxdept@wainfleet.ca
The Municipal Act and Late Payment Charges
- Section 345 (1) - A local municipality may, in accordance with this section, pass by-laws to impose late payment charges for the non-payment of taxes or any installment by the due date. 2001, c.25, s.345(1)
Penalty
- (2) A percentage charge, not to exceed 1 1/4 percent of the amount of taxes due and unpaid, may be imposed as a penalty for the non-payment of taxes on the first day of default or such later date as the by-law specifies. 2001, c.25, s345 (2)
Interest
- (3) Interest charges, not to exceed 1 1/4 percent each month of the amount of taxes due and unpaid, may be imposed for the non-payment of taxes in the manner specified in the by-law but interest may not start to accrue before the first day of default. 2001, c.25, s. 345(3)
Niagara Region and other levels of government offer tax rebates and deferral programs for seniors , low-income, people with disabilities, registered charities, heritage properties and farmlands. Please visit the Niagara Region site for further information and how to apply.
If you have misplaced your property tax bill or require a copy of your tax account statement please call 905-899-3463 x222 or email taxdept@wainfleet.ca to fulfil your request for information. Please be aware there is a fee associated with printed copies of tax statements and tax bills as per the fees and charges by-law.
Supplementary Property Assessment Notices are issued by MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) when there has been change to a property during the taxation year due to a change in property classification, an addition or renovation to the property, or for new construction.
MPAC has up to 3 years to assess newly built homes. Newly constructed homes will only be taxed on the land value of the property until the assessment for the completed home is received. The bill for the newly constructed home will be retroactive to the date of occupancy to a maximum of current year plus two years. Homeowners should plan in advance to receive a bill for a large sum.
You will only receive a supplemental tax bill once the property has been assessed by MPAC, and once that information has been forwarded to the Township of Wainfleet. There is no exact timeframe for this process.
Omitted Property Assessment Notices are issued when the current value assessment was not previously recorded on the assessment roll for the year. An Omitted assessment may apply to the current year, and if applicable, for any part of the previous 2 years.
Depending on the timing of the receipt of the information from MPAC, Supplementary & Omitted Assessments may be due in one installment regardless of the number of years being billed. Supplemental and Omitted taxes are billed in addition to any other billing that you may receive during the year. The due date may be any time during the year, made payable in one or two installments, and will be mailed at least 21 days before the due date as per legislation.
- How does a Supplemental Bill affect my property?
If the supplemental bill is for additions or improvements to your property the taxes will increase. Your land may have previously been assessed, therefore the supplemental bill will only be for the structure portion of the property. The supplemental bill is in addition to any other bills received throughout the year. Once the property is assessed your taxes will go up to reflect the current value of your home and land.
Once the supplemental bill has been issued, all tax bills going forward will be a combination of the land and structure combined.
If your supplementary notice is for a change in classification, the municipality will apply the new tax rate. Depending on the classification, the new tax rate could be higher or lower.
A supplementary tax bill is determined by multiplying the supplementary assessment values by the tax rate for each year that the property is being assessed. It will be prorated based on the number days the building has been completed or occupied for the year.
For more information on Supplementary Assessments please visit www.mpac.ca.
- When do I need to pay my Supplemental Tax Bill?
Once the municipality receives the assessment from MPAC, a supplementary tax bill will be issued. It will be in addition to any other bills previously issued. The bill must be paid on the due date(s). Additional assessments occurring from building a new home or addition can result in a supplementary tax bill that can amount to thousands of dollars. You should plan for this billing as soon as you start work on your property by putting money aside on a monthly basis to pay the bill when it comes due. You may also make additional payments to your property tax account at any time.
- I built a new home, what happens next?
MPAC has up to 3 years to assess newly built homes. Newly constructed homes will only be taxed on the land value of the property until the assessment for the completed home is received. The bill for the newly constructed home will be retroactive to the date of occupancy to a maximum of the current year plus two years. Homeowners should plan in advance to receive a bill for a large sum.
You will only receive a supplemental tax bill once the property has been assessed by MPAC, and once that information has been forwarded to the Township of Wainfleet. There is no exact timeframe for this process.
Supplemental taxes are billed in addition to any other billing that you may receive during the year. The due date for a supplemental billing may be any time during the year, made payable in one or two installments, and will be mailed out 21 days before the due date as per legislation.
If you have built a new home and would like to make additional payments towards your account in advance of the supplemental billing, please contact 905-899-3463 ext. 222 or email taxdept@wainfleet.ca
The lawyer acting on behalf of the purchaser normally advises the Township once the deal has been completed. The lawyer will need to send the Township a copy of The Land Transfer Deed to have the ownership changed. The lawyer is also responsible for making any necessary property tax adjustments on the closing date to ensure all taxes are paid up to date when you purchase the property.
If you are moving and are on a Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, please ensure that you have notified the Township to have the Payment Plan cancelled. Please call 905-899-3463, ext. 222 or email taxdept@wainfleet.ca
Applications for tax incentives are submitted directly through the applicable program such as Agricorp or the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Once an application is approved the program will notify MPAC so that they can make applicable changes to your property’s assessment value. MPAC will provide the updated assessment report directly to the Township and to the property owner by mail. The Township will then update the tax account to reflect the applicable adjustment.
If the application was for the current year the adjustment will be processed after final billing is completed in July. There is no exact timeframe for this process as it depends on the timing of the applications as well as the processing of other parties involved. Please note, penalty and interest of 1.25% continue to apply to unpaid balances monthly. It is best practice to continue to pay property taxes due on account. If adjustments result in a credit on the account, residents will be notified by mail, at which time a request in writing can be made to have the credit refunded.
Payment Options
We have a few different ways that you can pay your property taxes.
You can make payments by way of cash, cheque, debit or money orders in person at the Township Office at 31940 Highway 3, Wainfleet. AFTER HOURS payments in the form of a cheque or money order (clearly marked with roll number & address) may be dropped in the Township mail slot located at the front entrance.
Mail your cheque or money order making sure you allow enough time for the payment to be received before the due date. The payment date is the date when we receive the payment at our office.
Mail cheques or money orders to :
Township of Wainfleet
31940 Highway 3 PO Box 40
Wainfleet, ON L0S 1V0
Pay your taxes at your financial institution or by using your online banking. Simply add the Township of Wainfleet as a “payee” and use your 19 digit roll number as your account number (do not use spaces, dots or dashes).
You can make online credit card payments through Paymentus, a third-party automated payment service that accepts Visa or MasterCard. Please note that you will be charged a 2.5% service fee by Paymentus.
Participate in the PAP program by completing and submitting the Pre-authorized Payment Form to the Tax Department. This will allow the Township to automatically withdraw payments from your financial institution.
Plans
Choose one of our two plans:
- Monthly Plan - 10 monthly payments will be withdrawn on the 15th of each month from February to November.
- Installment Plan - 4 installments as outlined on your tax bills will be withdrawn on installment due date.