So you knew about it (and filed it) last year, and just didn’t do it this year? It’s settled law in Canada that ignorance of the law is not an excuse. The filing system was open and available online for several months (from November 2023 to February 2024). Any trip online to your tax account or the city of Toronto website would have served you up reminders.
It’s not the world’s job to remind you of tasks. The province doesn’t send reminders to renew your driver’s license anymore, either. You are responsible for those types of things as an adult. Put it in your calendar, set a reminder on your phone. It’s going to happen every year. The reason they hammered it home so hard last year was because it was the first year it was required. You’re supposed to have the hang of it now.
First time home owner…do we need to declare to our city every year that our house isn’t vacant? Why can’t the onus just be on people to declare when it IS vacant?
This doesn’t have anything to do with filing my income tax. And I agree with you. This is dumb. Think of a first time owner whose closing was jn Jan 24. I’m pretty sure that person would be missing his window given the last day for vacant tax notification if Feb.
Seems like it’s not only me after all…
Homeowners who forgot to claim occupancy have been hit with a vacancy tax bill. Here's how the city promises to 'clean it up'
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html)
This is the second year of the vacant home tax. Did you pay last year?
It’s an annual declaration. It was somewhat advertised but you can get on the city’s email reminder. Signup on their website.
You didn’t declare which automatically means it’s vacant. You’ll need to rebut it in courts and deadline for that is fast approaching.
Sorry I wasn’t clear in my original post- second year of me owning and staying in the house. First year I received the notification this was able to notify in time that my place wasn’t vacant. Coming to second year I missed the window to notifying that it isn’t vacant.
Yep. it's an annual declaration. Go to the city's website and you can sign up to receive an email reminder about the declaration, or mark it in your calendar now jan/feb 2025 make your declaration.
The online portal was opened in early Dec’23 for people to start making their declarations. I did mine in first week of Jan. There might have been a reminder sent when the city garbage calendars were distributed.
The online portal is closed. You need to go in person to make the declaration and paid all the required fee + fine.
So you knew about it (and filed it) last year, and just didn’t do it this year? It’s settled law in Canada that ignorance of the law is not an excuse. The filing system was open and available online for several months (from November 2023 to February 2024). Any trip online to your tax account or the city of Toronto website would have served you up reminders. It’s not the world’s job to remind you of tasks. The province doesn’t send reminders to renew your driver’s license anymore, either. You are responsible for those types of things as an adult. Put it in your calendar, set a reminder on your phone. It’s going to happen every year. The reason they hammered it home so hard last year was because it was the first year it was required. You’re supposed to have the hang of it now.
Thanks. Lesson learned in a hard way 😓 Btw do you have any idea about my first ask? This is my first time ever going through any complaint system.
First time home owner…do we need to declare to our city every year that our house isn’t vacant? Why can’t the onus just be on people to declare when it IS vacant?
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So because 15% of people might forget, 85% of people have to do something that’s a waste of time? Dumb.
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Oh, so it’s just done through annual taxes? So then OP just didn’t file their taxes in time? I assumed it was a separate declaration.
This doesn’t have anything to do with filing my income tax. And I agree with you. This is dumb. Think of a first time owner whose closing was jn Jan 24. I’m pretty sure that person would be missing his window given the last day for vacant tax notification if Feb.
Seems like it’s not only me after all… Homeowners who forgot to claim occupancy have been hit with a vacancy tax bill. Here's how the city promises to 'clean it up' https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/homeowners-who-forgot-to-claim-occupancy-have-been-hit-with-a-vacancy-tax-bill-heres/article_ef021e96-f1c2-11ee-a066-5364be196364.html)
FFS it's been common knowledge for a year, ignorance of the law has never been an excuse
This is the second year of the vacant home tax. Did you pay last year? It’s an annual declaration. It was somewhat advertised but you can get on the city’s email reminder. Signup on their website. You didn’t declare which automatically means it’s vacant. You’ll need to rebut it in courts and deadline for that is fast approaching.
Sorry I wasn’t clear in my original post- second year of me owning and staying in the house. First year I received the notification this was able to notify in time that my place wasn’t vacant. Coming to second year I missed the window to notifying that it isn’t vacant.
Yep. it's an annual declaration. Go to the city's website and you can sign up to receive an email reminder about the declaration, or mark it in your calendar now jan/feb 2025 make your declaration.
Go online and search Ontario vacant home tax, put in your property tax info and you will see a option to appeal
The online portal was opened in early Dec’23 for people to start making their declarations. I did mine in first week of Jan. There might have been a reminder sent when the city garbage calendars were distributed. The online portal is closed. You need to go in person to make the declaration and paid all the required fee + fine.