Vacant Home Tax Declaration Due Date Is Feb. 29, 2024

TORONTO: Owners of properties in Toronto that are classified within the residential property tax class are required to declare the occupancy status of their property every year, even if they reside there. Declare the 2023 occupancy status of your residential property. The deadline to declare is February 29, 2024. However, the tax does not apply to:

• properties that are the principal residence of the owner

• properties that are the principal residence of a permitted occupant or occupied by a tenant (including business tenants)

• properties that qualify for an exemption

As outlined in the bylaw , a property is considered vacant if:

• the property was not the principal residence of the owner or any permitted occupants or was not occupied by tenants for a total of six months or more during the calendar year

• the property was not eligible for an exemption

• the property was deemed vacant because the owner failed to submit a declaration of occupancy status or any required supporting documentation

Image: City of Toronto

The goal of the Vacant Home Tax (VHT) is to increase the supply of housing by discouraging owners from leaving their residential properties unoccupied. Homeowners who choose to keep their properties vacant will be subject to this tax.

Revenues collected from the Vacant Home Tax will be allocated towards affordable housing initiatives, including the MultiUnit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program.

Residents can get information about the Vacant Home Tax and how to declare occupancy status or file a complaint in any language on the city website.

If you would like to report a residential property that you believe to be vacant, you can leave a message on the vacant property reporting hotline at 416-3951098.