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Bradford West Gwillimbury

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Skip Navigation LinksBradford West Gwillimbury > Town Services > Finance - Taxes & Utility Billing > Taxes

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Property Taxes and Billings
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2022 Budget

This page provides an overview of everything you need to know about your property taxes in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury. Please note that all forms referenced are available to the right, along with our contact information in case you don't find the answer to your question here.​

​Property tax bills and assessments

​When are tax bills issued and what are the due dates?​

​​
​​2023 TAX YEAR ​Interim Tax Bill ​Final Tax Bill
​Mailing date: February 1, 2023June 1, 2023
​1st Instalment:​Due February 24, 2023
​Due June 28, 2023​
​2nd Instalment:Due April 26, 2023
​Due September 27, 2023

​​All properties include:   Residential, Farm, Managed Forest, Pipeline, Commercial, Industrial, Multi-Residential and Mixed (combination of tax classes).

​Please note changes to 2023 Final Capped Class Billing:  Since 1998, Provincial legislation (Bill 79 and Bill 140) has been in place to temporarily protect property owners assessed in the Commercial, Industrial and Multi-Residential property tax classes (Capped Classes) from large tax increases due to property tax reform. This resulted in final property tax bills for the Capped Classes being due for payment later in the year than they traditionally were. Effective with 2022, there are no longer any Capped Class adjustments for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury and as such, it is planned that the 2023 final property tax due dates will return to their pre-capping schedule that aligns with the payment due dates of the Town's other property tax classes.

Please note that the proposed dates as outlined above are subject to Town Council approval when the related Tax Levying By-law(s) are approved in 2023.​

Can my tax bill be emailed to me?

Yes! The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury now offers e-billing for property tax bills! Just send an email to finservices@townofbwg.com​ - you must use an email address that contains the full name of one of the property owners.

In the body of your message, be sure to include your roll number, property address and the email address you would like to receive your bills to.

You can also switch your water and wastewater utility bills to e-bills using the same process!

Please be aware that you can only receive either an e-bill or a paper bill, but not both.

How is my tax bill calculated?

Tax bills are calculated by taking the assessment value provided by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and multiplying it by the current tax rate. 

The tax rate is determined every spring, and is a combined rate set by the Town of BWG, the County of Simcoe, South Simcoe Police and the Provincial Ministry of Education​.

Interim bills are based on no more than 50% of your annualized property taxes from the previous years.

How does the Town of BWG determine tax rates?

​The tax rate is calculated based on the total amount of taxes required to provide goods and services to the Town of BWG using the total assessment provided by MP​AC.

The County and Education property tax rates are calculated in the same way using the amount of taxes required for them respectively.​

For a detailed explanation of the calculations involved, watch this video from MPAC:

Click to watch video on YouTube ​

Where does the tax money go?

​The Town of BWG collects all of your property taxes, but only about 37% stays with the Town for municipal programs and services including Fire & Emergency, roads and parks. The rest is distributed among the County of Simcoe, South Simcoe Police, Library and Education (distributed to local boards by the Province of Ontario).

WheredoTaxesGo2022.png​
(chart reflects 2022 tax year)

Who determines assessment values, and what if I disagree?

​The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for the assessment on all properties province-wide. The assessed property value on your assessment notice is as of January 1, 2016. The increase in value is phased-in equally over four years (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020).

Watch this video from MPAC for more information on how they assess properties:


If you have more questions, visit the MPA​C webpage regarding assessments.

How are properties assessed?

While MPAC considers more than 200 factors when as​sessing a property, there are five factors that make up the majority of their assessment: location, living area (square footage), age of the property, lot dimensions and quality of construction.

How do I dispute the assessment?

If you believe your property assessment value is incorrect you will have to appeal the value to MPAC directly. To begin, owners are encouraged to use MPAC's About My Property tool to compare their property with other similar, nearby properties. If you still disagree with your assessment value, you will have to complete a Request for Reconsideration. The deadline to submit the request is stated on your assessment notice. If you have misplaced this notice, or if you have any further questions about assessments, please contact MPAC directly.​

How do I change my school support?

There are four different school support options within Bradford West Gwillimbury: English Public, English Catholic Separate, French Public or French Catholic Separate.

Your school support shows on your interim and final tax bills under "Assessment – Class/Educ. Support". To support either the English or French Catholic Separate school board, the owner or tenant must be Roman Catholic. School support for the current tax year is reflected on the final tax bill.

If you wish to change your school support you must contact MPAC to receive the proper form to fill out. Visit​ their website for more information.​​

​Paying your property tax bill

How do I pay my property taxes?

​You have FIVE options for how to pay your property taxes.

1. Pay automatically through your bank account by enrolling in one of our two convenient pre-authorized debit plans

  • ​Due Date Plan: withdrawals will be made on the due dates for the amounts as indicated on the interim and final tax bills.
  • 10-Month Plan: Monthly instalments are based on 11% of the previous year’s annualized taxes and will be withdrawn on the last business day of each month from January to September, inclusive. Any adjustment to pay the balance of the total year’s taxes will be withdrawn on the last business day of October, a letter will be sent in advance to notify the owner of the last withdrawal amount. Property’s must be fully assessed to join this plan and applications are not accepted after July 10 of each year.

Your property tax account must be in good standing to be eligible to enroll in either of the pre-authorized plans.

Fill out our pre-authorized debit application form and include your void cheque or direct banking form to apply. Options for returning the form to us can be found on the application.

2. Pay manually through your bank by internet, ​telephone or at the teller.

Most financial institutions​ offer internet or telephone banking for payment of your property taxes. To set up the your property taxes as a new bill payee, use your 19-digit property tax roll number (starting with 4312 and ending 0000, no dashes). Every system is different, so if you have specific questions about setting up Town property taxes for online or telephone banking, please contact your financial institution.

​​Did you know some financial institutions give you the option to post-date internet banking payments? Ask your financial institution if they offer this option so you can set up payments in advance and avoid missing a due date!

3. Pay through the mail by cheque

Send a cheque with the appropriate stub from your tax bill to:
Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury
P.O. Box 160
Bradford, ON L3Z 2A8

NOTE: The Town is unable to predict the length of time your payment may take to arrive by mail. If you do not feel you have adequate time, drop your cheque and bill stub at the Finance Office instead. (see option #4)

4. Pay in person by cash, cheque or debit

In-person payments must be made at the Town Finance Office located at 61 Holland St. E, Bradford. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on all statutory holidays. In-office payment methods are cash, cheque or debit only (no credit card payments).

Outside of office hours, you may deposit payments by cheque only with appropriate bill stub in the drop box outside the Finance Office. Please do not put cash in the drop box.

5. Pay online by credit card

The only method by which you can pay your property taxes using a credit card is through our Virtual Town Hall online service. Visit the Virtual Town Hall website to create your account.​ A ​service fee is charged based on the amount being paid. Charges are subject to change.

Please note that Virtual Town Hall can only be used by property owners; it is not available to tenants.

What if my bill arrives late or gets lost in the mail?

​Property owners are responsible for making payments to their accounts on or before each due date. 

Failure to receive a bill does not excuse an owner from making payment by the due date. Penalty and interest is charged on the first day of each month when there are arrears on an account.​

Missing a bill?

If you misplaced or did not receive a bill, you can view your account using our Virtual Town Hall (just click the blue button), or call or email us for the information. If you require a reprint of your property tax bill or statement, one of the property owners must visit the Finance Office in person with photo ID and pay a $10 fee.

​How do I know if you will get my payment on time?

To understand how early you need to send your payment, let's look at how your payment gets dated:

  • ​If you pay through your bank, the Town honours the date that your payment is received by your bank.
  • If you pay by sending a cheque using Canada Post, a courier or some other delivery agent, the Town honours the date that your payment is received by the Town, NOT the date that you sent it.
  • If you pay in person at the Town's Finance Office, the Town honours the date that your payment is made at the Town.​ 
  • If you pay by cheque​ using the ​after-hours drop-box at the Finance Office, it will be dated the previous business day. The drop box is checked each morning when the office opens for business.

How much will I be charged if I miss a payment due date?

​​Penalty and interest, at the rate of 1.25% per month, will be added to each instalment of taxes past due on the first day of each calendar month until paid in full.​

Late payment charges are levied by Council By-law under the authority of the Municipal Act and cannot be waived or reduced by Municipal Staff. Failure to receive a tax bill does not excuse the property owner from responsibility for payment, nor relieve him/her from liability of penalty for late payment.

Please be advised that all payments received are applied first to all penalties owing, then the remainder to the oldest taxes outstanding.

What happens if my tax account is in arrears by more than 2 years?

​If a property tax account has arrears dating back two years on January 1st of any year, a tax arrears certificate can be registered against the property. Once a tax arrears certificate is registered on a property, partial payments are no longer accepted and all interested parties are notified.

Full payment is then required to be made on the account within one year from the date of registration. Full payment includes all taxes, penalties, interest, any additions to the roll and all reasonable costs incurred by the municipality for the registration.

In the event the tax account goes unpaid after the one year period, the property will be sold by public auction or public tender.

Tax account information, documentation and fees

How do I change my mailing address?

​​Only a property owner is allowed to change the mailing address on an account. Fill out the New/Change/Cancel form and return it to the Finance Office by any of the methods listed on the form.

The New/Change/Cancel Account digital form can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage under Documents. Once you have successfully submitted the form an email confirmation will be sent to you. 

How do I get an income tax receipt?

If you require a receipt, please bring your final tax bill to the Finance Office after the September tax instalment has cleared your bank account and your tax bill will be stamped paid in full.

Property owners enrolled in the 10-month pre-authorized debit program can have their tax bill stamped after the final withdrawal occurs at the end of October and the amount has cleared your bank.

If you do not have your final tax bill, a copy of your tax account payment history can be printed for a fee of $10. You must visit the Finance Office in person and photo identification is required for verification of ownership.

How do I get information about my tax account?

Only current property tax owners can obtain property tax and utility information. Property owners can also give written authorization to someone to obtain information on their behalf. Authorization forms are available at our Finance Office or by emailing us.

The Articles of Incorporation are required when ownership is in the name of a company. Information will only be released to the Directors/Owners of the company unless one of the owners provides written authorization for someone else to obtain it.

I am a property owner; can I view my tax account online?

​If you are a property owner within the Town of BWG you can view account information for your property taxes and water/wastewater utility accounts by using our Virtual Town Hall interactive website.​

How do I order a tax certificate?

​Lawyers can order a tax certificate by sending a letter to the Finance Office with the property address, legal description and roll number if known.

This request must be accompanied by a cheque payable to Town of BWG in the appropriate amount:

  • ​tax/utility certificate: $60 per roll number
    (10 business days from receipt of payment)

  • RUSH tax/utility certificate: $100 per roll number
    (1-3 business days from receipt of payment)

All tax certificates issued by the Town will include utility information at no extra cost.

If a verbal update is required please clearly indicate this on the request. Please note that verbal updates will only be provided up to six months from the date the certificate is purchased.​

What if my mortgage company is paying on my behalf?

If your mortgage company has notified the Town that they will be paying your property taxes, they will receive tax billing information directly from us. Residents will continue to receive property tax bills as they are issued. These bills will state “Do Not Pay – Paid by Mortgage Holder” on each payment stub and on the top middle of the bill.

If you receive a bill that does not indicate this and you believe your mortgage should be paying, you can follow up with the Town to determine if a change has occurred since the billing or contact your mortgage company directly.

Property owners cannot request to have their mortgage company removed; this request must come from the mortgage lender. A property owner cannot register for a property tax pre-authorized program while a mortgage lender is showing on their account.

What fees are associated with requesting documents?

​The following fees were approved by Council for the 2022 tax year. For a full listing of all Town of BWG User Fees and Service Charges, select the ​​document from the menu at right.

​ITEM​​
 ​FEE
​Tax Certificate
Standard turnaround within 10 business days of receipt of payment. (per property)
​$60

​RUSH Tax Certificate
Rush turnaround within 1-3 business days of receipt of payment. (per property)
​$100
​Duplicate Tax Bill or Tax Statement
(per property, per request)
​$10

​Change of Tax Roll Ownership
If you've recently purchased or transferred title, a fee covers the costs associated with updating the tax roll.
​$30

​New Account Added to Tax Roll
If property is new to tax roll, there will be a one-time fee to cover the costs associated with setting up the account.
​$30

​Tax/Utility Payment Transfer
Fee applies if payment is transferred from one account to another. This can include property tax account to a different property tax account, tax to utility account or utility to tax account. If you have moved or own multiple accounts you must ensure that your accounts have been set up correctly and individually. (per transfer)
​$10

​Water Arrears Transfer to Tax Roll
A fee applies if unpaid water & wastewater arrears, greater than 120 days, have gone unpaid and transferred to the tax roll​. (per transfer)​
​$20
​​Accounts Receivable Transfer to Tax Roll
A fee applies if accounts receivable invoices have gone unpaid and transferred to the tax roll. (per transfer)
​$20

​Mortgage Company Administration Fee
(per property tax account, per billing - interim, final, supplemental)		​$10

​​Withdrawal of Postdated Cheque on File
If a postdated cheque is left with our office and you wish to have it returned or changed in any manner a fee will apply.​
​$25

​Letter for Income Tax Purposes
Provided on request of account owner. (per year required)
​$35

​

​​​​Buying or selling a property in BWG

How do I change the ownership of a property?

Typically, your lawyer will send all the documentation required to the Town of BWG to change the ownership of a property after the date of the closing has occurred. If your lawyer does not send us the information, you can provide us with the official transfer deed from the Land Registry Office. Our contact information is listed on the right hand side of this webpage.​

If your mailing address is different than the property location be sure to fill out and submit a New/Change/Cancel Account Form​ to ensure no bills are missed.​

What if I'm buying a newly built home?

When purchasing a brand new home, the property may not be fully assessed. If this is the case, an additional bill will be issued once MPAC has assessed the property. This bill is called a supplemental bill and it will be effective as of the date of occupancy of the home. Supplemental bills can go back as far as current year plus two previous years; therefore, you may receive multiple bills at one time, each related to a specific tax year.

If you receive a supplemental bill but you purchased the new home from an individual, not directly from the builder, you can bring those bills to your lawyer for review.​​

I sold my property, now what?

Confirm with your lawyer if you are responsible for additional tax payments. If you are enrolled in a pre-authorized property tax payment plan, you must cancel the plan. 

The digital Pre-Authorized Debit Form can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage under Documents. Once you have successfully submitted the form an email confirmation will be sent to you. 

You must also cancel your water/wastewater utility account with the Town to ensure you receive your final water bill to your new mailing address. You can make this change by using our digital New/Change/Cancel Account Form (also found under the Documents heading).​

IMP​ORTANT: Canceling you​r water/wastewater account does not automatically cancel any pre-authorized programs for water or property taxes. This must be done using the two separate forms. 

​TIP: If you bank online or by telephone, ensure that you remove the roll number of the sold property as a payee so you don't accidentally make a payment to it. If you do make a payment in error, there will be an administration fee to correct it (in accordance with the Town’s Fees and Charges by-law).

Is there a charge for an ownership change?

​When ownership of a property changes, a $30 administration fee is added to the property tax account of the new owner.​​

​​Tax programs: incentives, appeals and rebates

What tax incentive programs are available?

There are currently three programs available to incentivize specific land uses​:

​1. Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program

This program determines the eligibility of a working farm property for a municipal property tax reduction. For further details and information, please contact the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Visit their website, or contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999 or by email at contact@agricorp.com.

2. Managed Forest Incentive Program

This program determines the eligibility of a forested property for a municipal property tax reduction. For further details and information, please contact the Ontario Forestry Association or the Ontario Woodlot Association.

3. Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program

This program determines the eligibility of a swamp or wetland for a municipal property tax reduction. For further details and information, please contact the Ministry of National Resources.​

Can I appeal my property taxes?

You can appeal your property taxes for reasons outlined in Sections 357 and 358 of the Municipal Act​. Some of the reasons that fall under these sections are: property assessment class change, demo​lition of a structure or razed by fire. The last day to file your appeal is February 28 of the year following the change. Learn more from MPAC​.

In order to appeal you must submit this form​ to the Town of BWG outlining the reason, the date it occurred and a brief explanation. Any supporting documentation to help explain your appeal can be attached to the application and emailed or mailed to us.

The Town of BWG will send all further official correspondence through Canada Post mail to the mailing address on file.

Are there programs to assist seniors?

​There are three programs available to assist low-income seniors:

1. Town of BWG Low-Income Seniors Property Tax Penalty & Interest Rebate

This program is intended to give some measure of financial relief to low income seniors (defined as those receiving an Old Age Security Guaranteed Income Supplement) living at the specific property and paying property taxes in Bradford. Applicants must fill out the form and submit it (along with other documents as indicated) to the Town each year by March 31 to request a rebate of the tax penalties and interest paid in the previous year. The application form is available from the menu on the right-hand side of this page. For rebates over $25, and no current arrears on account a cheque will be issued; otherwise the rebate amount will be credited to the related property tax account. 

Please contact us if you think you may be eligible for this program.

​2. County of Simcoe Low-Income Seniors Deferral Program

The County offers a deferral program for seniors who are in receipt of the Guaranteed Income Supplement whose property tax have increased more than $300 from the previous year. For further information, please contact us.

3. Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant

The Provincial government offers a program that helps low-to-moderate income seniors with the cost of their property taxes. You can be eligible for a rebate up to $500 if the specific requirements are met. For more information, visit their website or speak with your accountant when filing income taxes.

Are there tax rebate programs for charities?

The Town of BWG Charity Rebate Program is offered under section 361 of the Municipal Act for registered charities occupying commercial or industrial space within Bradford. The charity must have a registration number from Canada Revenue Agency to qualify.

Applications must be submitted each year and are due before February 28 of the following year the application is for. For example, applications for the 2018 tax year would be due February 28, 2019.

click here for the application form​

Is there a program for vacant commercial/industrial properties?

This program has been eliminated across all local municipalities within the County of Simcoe effective January 1, 2018 in accordance with Ontario Regulation 325/01 as amended.

The vacant unit rebate program for commercial and industrial properties provided partial property tax rebates for qualifying units and buildings that were unoccupied and unused for a period of at least 90 days within a taxation year. This was an application based program and applied to vacancy periods that ended on or before December 31, 2017.

The last day for which eligibility could be claimed was December 31, 2017 and the last day on which a valid application could be made was February 28, 2018.​


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