Property tax notices are in the mail: Payment due July 2

May 22, 2024

News Release

City of Kelowna 2024 property tax notices will be arriving in property owners’ mailboxes and email inboxes this week. Payments must be received by the City or electronically processed by third-party financial institutions by Tuesday, July 2 to avoid a provincially legislated 10 per cent late payment penalty.

The City is reminding property owners that Monday, July 1 is a statutory holiday and recommends making payments early as banks and credit card companies can take up to three business days to process payments.

To reduce the amount of property tax owing, eligible property owners can apply now for the annual provincial Home Owner Grant (HOG) at gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant or by calling 1-888-355-2700. Applications must be in before the July 2 deadline as it is considered a form of payment. The BC Property Tax Deferment program is also now available to those who qualify. Taxpayers can learn more about the property tax deferment program including eligibility at gov.bc.ca/propertytaxdeferment.

Unless taxpayers are experiencing a critical issue with their tax notice that cannot be resolved over the phone or through email, the City recommends making payments through the following ways to avoid potential lineups.

By cheque using the drop box located at the main doors at City Hall.
By mailing cheques to City Hall (Post-dated cheques are accepted. However, the postmark date is not considered date of payment).
Through online or telephone banking with a financial institution.
In person at a financial institution.
Credit card online at kelowna.ca/onlinebilling (a 2.3% transaction fee will apply).

To easily access and manage property tax, utility and business license information in one convenient online location, the City is encouraging property owners to register for a free property account at billing.kelowna.ca. Once registered, property owners can view their assessment, balance, current and past bills, and financial transaction information—including whether the HOG has been applied—online. To register, taxpayers need their folio number and access code, which can be found on the tax notice.

This year’s notice includes a tax demand rate increase of 4.72 per cent, which translates to an additional $9.33 a month, for the City of Kelowna portion on an average residential property tax bill in Kelowna. City taxes are only one portion of the property tax bill, which also includes other levies the City collects on behalf of the Province of B.C., the Regional District of Central Okanagan, Okanagan Regional Library and BC Assessment Authority.

Property taxes do not go up or down proportionately with property value changes. The tax rate is calculated based on what the City needs to balance the budget for that particular year—once all its other revenue streams, which on average make up 75 per cent of total revenue, have been applied. The 2024 total tax demand is $191.2 million. This number is what dictates the amount the City must collect from property owners to deliver the needed programs, services and infrastructure. General municipal taxation in 2024 will account for approximately 22 per cent of the City’s operational revenues. Other revenues sources include reserves, grants, user fees, and income from self-funding business units.

For more information about property taxes, payment options, applying for the Home Owner Grant, deferment program options, and to register for a City property account, visit kelowna.ca/propertytax, sign up for e-updates, email revenue@kelowna.ca or call 250-469-8757.