Why Do I Pay Property Taxes?
Taxes are levied on owners of property to pay for basic services such as garbage and snow removal, community health programs, water supply and waste treatment, solid waste facilities, arterial roads, planning and growth management, social and children's services, policing, fire protection, emergency response programs, public libraries, parks & recreation, elementary and high school education.
For more information on the budget, click here.
How Is My Property Tax Calculated?
Your taxes are calculated by multiplying the property assessment, as shown on your tax bill, by the applicable tax rate, according to property tax class.
The tax rate for each property class is calculated by multiplying the tax ratio for the property class by the base tax rates determined by Richmond Hill to meet the annual requirements for the provision of its services. Similar processes are used to set the Region of York tax rates. Education rates are established by the Province of Ontario each year.
The determination of property assessment values is the independent responsibility of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). The Assessment Office uses the current value assessment approach in determining property assessment.
Use our residential property Tax Calculator to calculate your tax payment distribution.
If you have any questions with respect to your assessment, you may contact MPAC at (866) 296-6722.
Current Value Assessment
An Explanation of Tax Ratios and Rates
Tax Ratios
Tax ratios define the relative tax burden across the property classes, and affect the ultimate rates for each class. Tax ratios must be set within flexibility ranges determined from Provincial regulations for each region. For 1998-2000 the Region of York municipalities had the flexibility to set their own tax ratios, but are restricted by the ranges of flexibility. Tax ratios are set by the Region of York Council and are applied region-wide.
| |
2003 |
2004-2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| Residential property class |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
| Multi-residential property class |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
| Commercial property class |
1.1000 |
1.2070 |
1.2070 |
1.1800 |
1.1431 |
| Industrial property class |
1.3000 |
1.3737 |
1.3737 |
1.3575 |
1.3305 |
| Pipelines property class |
0.9190 |
0.9190 |
0.9190 |
0.9190 |
0.9190 |
| Farm property class (established by Province) |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
| Managed forest property class |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
0.2500 |
As a result, for equal assessment value, the total commercial property class, including its subclasses will pay 1.10 times more tax than equal assessed value in the residential property class. These ratios are then used to calculate the actual tax rates for each property class, based on the budgeted tax levy requirements.
Tax Rates
Each year, each municipality will set the base tax rate on the basis of the tax ratios and the annual requirements separately for Richmond Hill services. School tax rates are set by the Province and Regional taxes are set by the Region of York Council.
How Can I Appeal My Taxes?
You may appeal your property assessment or in very limited cases, you may appeal your taxes.
Tax appeals may be filed for reasons set out in Section 357 and 358 of the Municipal Act, including the following reasons: property assessment class changes, demolition and razed by fire. Tax appeals can be initiated by advising Revenue Services in writing, stating what change has taken place and when the change occurred. The last day to file a tax appeal for any taxation year is February 28 of the subsequent year. Mail your request to:
Richmond Hill
Revenue Services
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill ON L4B 3P4
How Can I Appeal My Assessment Value?
Why Do Property Taxes Increase?
Richmond Hill is responsible for billing and collecting taxes for the town's purposes. It is also responsible to bill and collect taxes for the Region of York and the school boards. If the annual requirements for these services increase more than the assessment growth within the municipality in any given year, then taxes will increase.
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