Municipal Relief Measures

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, City administration evaluates the effects of certain relief measures that would assist both residents and businesses in the community on an ongoing basis.

The following relief measures have been approved by Council to protect our local economy while protecting the financial sustainability of municipal operations:

• The due date for all property taxes was extended.  No penalties were applied until after October 2, 2020 (usually July 1) and the penalty rate was reduced to 2% from 4.75%.
• All penalties for nonpayment of utility bills be waived until October 1, 2020. We recommend that bills be sent out to customers so that those who are able to pay can do so. Collection processes will not proceed, and penalties will not be charged prior to October 1, 2020. Appropriate guidelines will be established for the repayment of late amounts.
• Development application charges will be waived until the end of 2021. This was done to encourage and accommodate new developments within the City.
• Building permit fees be reduced by 25% (City’s portion) for the remainder of 2021. The remaining building permit fees will be collected to satisfy the City’s building inspection contract and provincial levy.
• The City paid the Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) taxes on behalf of the business owners operating in the BRZ. This is an additional tax levied to the downtown businesses in support of the initiatives proposed by the BRZ annual budget.
• Applied a tax rebate to all property taxes equal to 1.08% of the Municipal portion of property taxes for residential/farmland properties and 5% of the Municipal portion of property taxes for non-residential properties. 
• Revised the Purchasing Policy to further consider local preference.
• Refrained from doing a Supplementary Property Tax billing in 2020.