2012 City of Cranbrook Property Tax Notices

2012 PROPERTY TAX NOTICES

Property Tax Notices for the City of Cranbrook have now been mailed to all property owners on record.

If you have not already received your notice, please contact City Hall at 426-4211 so that a copy may be forwarded to you.

Taxes are due on July 3, 2012, after which time a 10% penalty will be added to any unpaid current taxes.  Home Owner Grants may be claimed even if current taxes are not paid in full.  Penalties apply to Home Owner Grants not claimed by July 3, 2012.

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If you are participating in the pre-authorized payment program, please note that the prepayment amount on your tax notice includes the May 15^th and June 15^th payments.  As your prepayment amounts were based on an estimate there may still be a balance owing.  To avoid a penalty, please review your Tax Notice carefully and make sure you pay any outstanding balance prior to July 3, 2012.

To help you avoid the last minute rush, we accept post-dated cheques.  We also accept Interact Debit Card payments.

Payment may also be made by telephone/pc banking and through most financial institutions.  You must still claim the Home Owner Grant at City Hall or on-line via the link on the www.cranbrook.ca website. 
                                                                                                                                                           

PREPAYMENT OF 2013 PROPERTY TAXES

The City of Cranbrook is continuing to offer a property tax prepayment plan.  Now you can budget your property taxes and avoid the July property tax “blues”.  Monthly tax payments are made through your bank by preauthorized debits on the 15th of each month, starting in July 2012 for the 2013 taxation year. 

Application forms are available from the City Hall Tax Department.  If you would like one mailed, please contact us at 426-4211.

Any overpayment on the 2012 property taxes will be applied to the first payment(s) for 2013.

2012 TAX DEFERMENT PROGRAMS

You may defer payment of property taxes if you meet the following basic qualifications:

-       Canadian citizen or landed immigrant having lived in British Columbia for at least one year; and
-       registered owner of the property, and the property is your principal residence

Specific Program eligibility requirements:

Regular Deferment Program

• 55 years or older, or widow/widower, or a person with a disability as defined by Regulation; and
• 25% equity position in your home (based on the 2012 BC Assessment property value)

Families with Children Deferment Program

• Sign a declaration that you are financially supporting a child under the age of 18 at any time during the calendar year; and
• 15% equity position in your home (based on the 2012 BC Assessment property value)

NOTE:  Before applying for any of these tax deferment programs, you must pay all penalties, interest, previous years’ property taxes, and utility charges, as these charges cannot be deferred.

For more information on these programs, please contact the Tax Department at (250) 426-4211.

2012 HOME OWNER GRANT

The City of Cranbrook is pleased to announce that you can once again claim your Home Owner Grant on line. This feature is available by logging on to the City’s website at www.cranbrook.ca and following the link to the Grant Application form.  The eHOG password to access the form is found in the address portion at the top left-hand side of your 2012 tax notice. 

IMPORTANT:  Please read the instructions on the City’s website before proceeding to the Grant application form.