Municipal Property Assessment (MPAC)
The Ontario Government has postponed the 2020 Assessment Update. Property assessments for the 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025 taxation years will continue to be based on the fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values. Please visit MPAC’s website for more information on the assessment postponement.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) determines property value assessments, which determines current value and classifications for all properties in Ontario. The City of Richmond Hill does not determine property value assessments.
Every four years, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) updates all the property assessment values in Ontario, with the changes phased-in over four years. The last update was January 2016, with the values phased-in for the taxation years 2017 through to 2020.
It is important to note that assessment value changes do not affect the total amount of taxes received by the municipality. The property tax rates are re-evaluated annually to provide the same tax revenue. There may be fluctuations, however, between homeowners, where some may increase and some may decrease, depending on how their property assessment has changed compared to the municipal average.
If you believe your property assessment is incorrect in comparison to similar properties in your area, you have the option to submit a Request for Reconsideration (RfR) through MPAC. MPAC will review your assessment free of charge. The deadline to submit a Request for Reconsideration is 120 days from the issuance date printed on the Property Assessment Notice. There are two ways to file an RfR: online at AboutMyProperty.ca or mail to MPAC. Forms are available at MPAC.ca.
Property owners are encouraged to visit AboutMyProperty.ca to view a profile of their property and learn more about how their property was assessed. For a detailed explanation of this process, watch the MPAC video, How Your Property Tax is Calculated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Assessment
| What is MPAC? |
| MPAC is the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded by all Ontario municipalities, accountable to the Province, municipalities and property taxpayers through its 15-member Board of Directors. MPAC's role is to accurately assess and classify all properties in Ontario in compliance with the Assessment Act and regulations set by the Government of Ontario. |
| Will my taxes increase by the same percentage as my assessment increase? |
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An assessment increase does not necessarily mean your property taxes will increase. When property values increase, the tax rate is adjusted down to accommodate the increase. Richmond Hill receives the same total amount of tax dollar revenue. For a detailed explanation of this process, watch the MPAC video, How Your Property Tax is Calculated. The average market change increase for Richmond Hill is 47.2% (four-year phase-in change will be approximately 11.8%), which means those who have an assessment above the average could see an increase on their tax bill and those who have an assessment less than the average could see a reduction on their tax bill with respect to the reassessment impact only. |
| Does an increase in my MPAC property assessment mean my property taxes will go up? |
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Not necessarily. When a province-wide assessment update occurs, the most important factor is not how much your assessed value has changed, but how your assessed value has changed relative to the average change for your property type in your municipality. Please visit MPAC's website to learn more. |
| When will my 2016 Property Assessment Notice affect my property taxes? |
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The City of Richmond Hill, the Region of York and the Province of Ontario will use your 2016 Property Assessment Notice to assist with calculating municipal and education taxes, in taxation years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Ontario Government has postponed the 2020 Assessment Update. Property assessments for the 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025 taxation years will continue to be based on the fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values. Please visit MPAC’s website for more information on the assessment postponement. |
| How can I appeal my Property Assessment Notice? |
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Steps to appeal an assessment through MPAC are as follows:
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| Is my Property Assessment Notice a tax bill? |
| No. A Property Assessment Notice is not a tax bill. The Property Assessment Notice advises you of the assessed value of your property and the phase-in value which will be used to help calculate your property taxes. |
| When will the tax rates be available for 2025? |
| The budgets for all three levying bodies are usually approved by May 30 of a taxation year; tax rates are finalized shortly thereafter. However, please be aware that reassessment is just one part of calculating your taxes for the upcoming four taxations years. Tax rates are also based on budget changes from each of the City, the Region of York and the Province of Ontario (for education purposes). |
| There is a factual error on my notice (e.g. name, legal description, etc.), what should I do? |
| Please call the MPAC Customer Contact Centre at 1-866-296-MPAC (6722) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The MPAC TTY number is 1-877-889-MPAC (6722). You should have your 20-digit roll number ready. |
| When will I be billed based on the new phase-in value? |
| The interim tax bill that is annually issued in January equals 50% of your previous year’s taxes. For accounts that did not exist in the previous year, interim taxes will approximate 50% of the current year full taxes. |
| I received my Property Assessment Notice, but never received a tax bill from the City of Richmond Hill. Why and when can I expect a bill? |
| If your property is a new home completed in the current or past two years, as the property owner you will receive an interim tax bill in January for approximately 50% of the taxes that would have been levied on the property in the previous year. Most likely the Property Assessment Notice is for land only and you can expect a supplementary tax bill for the structure within the next two years. If the property is older than three years and the property owner has not received a tax bill, contact Access Richmond Hill at 905-771-8949 or access@richmondhill.ca. |
| Why is the January 1, 2016 current value assessment on my notice significantly lower than the value of my property? |
| If your property was constructed during the current or past two years, the valuation may be for land only. You can expect a supplementary tax bill for the structure within the next two years. Please contact MPAC directly for detailed information on the valuation of your property. |
| I severed a portion of my property; however, the assessment notice does not reflect this change. What should I do? |
If MPAC has not processed the severance, the property owner is responsible for the taxes because:
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| I successfully appealed my assessment. Did Richmond Hill receive notice about my appeal from MPAC or the Assessment Review Board? |
| Normally it takes 60 days for the City to be notified of an agreement between MPAC and the property owner on a revised assessment. the City processes appeals after the final billing for the taxation year is complete. If your appeal is complete and you received your final bill for the taxation year, contact Access Richmond Hill at 905-771-8949 or access@richmondhill.ca for information on the status. |
| If I lose my Property Assessment Notice, how do I get a new PIN number for AboutMyProperty.ca? |
| Please call the MPAC Customer Contact Centre at 1-866-296-MPAC (6722) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The MPAC TTY number is 1-877-889-MPAC (6722). |
| I'm on a fixed income. Is there anything I can do about rising property taxes? |
| You may be eligible for a tax deferral program for seniors and disabled persons. Three deferral programs are available, for Low Income Seniors (55-64), Seniors (65 and older) and Low Income Disabled Persons. Each program defers eligible year-over-year tax increases on an interest-free basis until the property is transferred or sold. Your taxes will remain at their current level and when you sell your home, the remaining tax will be due. Learn more about our Tax Assistance Programs. |