About Your Tax Bill

How is my tax bill calculated?

The tax bill is calculated by multiplying the Richmond Hill, York Region and Education property tax rates with the value of the property as assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

The tax rate is calculated based on the total amount of taxes required to provide goods and services to the City and the total MPAC-assessed value of all properties within Richmond Hill.

The Regional and Education property tax rates are calculated the same way, using the total amount of taxes required and the total Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)-assessed value for the Region and the Province, respectively.

Property tax rates are adjusted down when the MPAC-assessed value of property increases. The total dollar value amount of property taxes collected does not change due to reassessment. However, property taxes may increase due to operating budget increases.

There are two reasons for your tax increase over 2019, the budget increase and reassessment impact. These can be seen on your tax bill in the section "Explanation of Tax Changes from 2019 to 2020."

Budget Increase
the City, Region and Prov. Education Levy Changes show the changes to your taxes due to budget increases.

Reassessment Impact
The Tax Change Due to Reassessment line shows the overall change to your taxes due to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 2016 Property Reassessment. 

How does Reassessment impact my tax bill?

A province-wide reassessment can change the proportion of tax payable by regional areas throughout the province, municipalities within a region and property types within a municipality. 

In the 2016 Property Assessment Notices, the average Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)-assessed value increase for a Richmond Hill residential property is 47 per cent, with a four-year phase-in change of approximately 11.8 per cent per year.

This means those who have an assessment change above the average percentage could see an increase on the Richmond Hill portion of their tax bill and those who have an assessment less than the average could see a reduction on the Richmond Hill portion of their tax bill.

For Regional taxes, Richmond Hill properties with an assessment change above the average for all of York Region will see an increase to the York Region portion of their tax bill. For Education taxes, properties with an assessment change above the province-wide average will see an increase to the Education portion of their property taxes.

With Richmond Hill's average value increase of 47 per cent, most Richmond Hill properties are above the Region-wide and Province-wide averages, and will therefore see those increases in the Reassessment line of the "Explanation of Tax Changes from 2019 to 2020" on the tax bill. 

Where does the assessment amount on my tax bill come from?

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is an independent corporation that determines property value assessments in Ontario. In 2016, MPAC sent Property Assessment Notices which revised the assessed value of all properties in Ontario. This revised value assessment is used to calculate property taxes for the years 2017 to 2020.

On March 25, 2020, the Province announced the postponement of the 2020 Assessment Update. Property assessments for the 2021 taxation year will continue to be based on the fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values (i.e., the same valuation date in use for 2020 taxation year).

The assessment amount on my tax bill is not the Current Value on my assessment notice. Why?

The assessed property value on your assessment notice is as of January 1, 2016. The increase in value is phased-in over four years (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). The assessment value on your tax bill is the 2020 phased-in amount from your assessment notice. 

On March 25, 2020, the Province announced the postponement of the 2020 Assessment Update. Property assessments for the 2021 taxation year will continue to be based on the fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values (i.e., the same valuation date in use for 2020 taxation year).

Will my property tax bills in 2021 also have an impact from reassessment?

Yes, reassessment value changes are phased-in over four years, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Tax amounts for future years will not be available until tax rates are finalized in spring of each year. 

On March 25, 2020, the Province announced the postponement of the 2020 Assessment Update. Property assessments for the 2021 taxation year will continue to be based on the fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values (i.e., the same valuation date in use for 2020 taxation year).

Is this tax bill for Richmond Hill taxes only?

No, Richmond Hill taxes account for only about 28 per cent of the tax bill. Approximately 72 per cent of the bill is collected on behalf of York Region and the Province of Ontario for Regional and Education services. 

Richmond Hill is responsible for the repair and maintenance of roads, community centres, trails, watermains and more. The funding for this comes in part from a fee that is added to property tax bills.

Prior to 2019, the Capital Asset Sustainability Fee was applied as a flat fee. In 2019, the fee has transitioned to a levy on each property, based on a percentage of the assessed value of the property.

I am a senior citizen on a fixed income; I can't afford the tax increase. What can I do?

Learn more about the tax assistance programs that Richmond Hill offers.  

There is no grace period for late payments.

You will also be charged 1.25 per cent interest on the first day of each month until you pay your account balance.

You are not excused from making your tax payments or any penalty charges if you don't receive a tax bill. It is the property owner's responsibility to make sure that you receive your bill and make your payments on time. Council and staff do not have the authority to waive or alter a penalty and/or interest charge for any reason.

Learn more about billing dates and deadlines.

• A new building or home
• Alterations to an existing property
• Property class changes
• New separately assessed lots

Additional assessments are added for the current year and/or the previous two years.

Learn more about property assessments.

225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4

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You may not initially be billed for the full assessed value of your property. An additional bill is issued once the entire property is assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). This bill will be from the date of the completed purchase of the home and could be for the current year and or go back as much as two previous years, depending on when an assessment is completed and a bill is issued.

Homeowners will receive their assessment notice from MPAC first, shortly afterwards you will receive your supplementary property tax bill. These taxes are payable in two instalments only. We recommend that new owners plan accordingly for the payment of these taxes.

If the incorrect information is used, you may have to pay a $36.50 administration fee to correct the mistake.

If you are registered for a Pre-Authorized Debit Plan, let our office know at least 10 days in advance about your move in writing so we can cancel your plan.

To change your mailing address, email Revenue Services from an email address which contains the owner's name. You can also let us know about this change by sending a letter to Revenue Services at:

225 East Beaver Creek Road, 6th Floor
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4

You can request an income tax receipt for property taxes for a fee of $18.25 per year. You can send a written request, including the fee, or make the request in person to Access Richmond Hill at:

225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4

If ownership of the property changed, some tax payments may apply to the purchaser.

A Statement of Adjustments is needed for this receipt to be valid.

You must be the registered property owner to get information about your property tax account and you may be asked to identify yourself. Complete the Authorization for Verbal Tax Information form to give written permission for another person to get your tax information.

We need a copy of the Articles of Incorporation to identify the Corporate Officers of properties owned by a corporation.

If your mortgage company is paying your property taxes on your behalf, they must notify us directly. Property owners will not receive an Interim bill if a mortgage company is paying on their behalf. This billing information will be sent directly to the mortgage company. Owners will receive a Final property tax bill which will clearly state that the bill is for information purposes only and that your mortgage company is paying on your behalf.

If you receive your property tax bills and it does not state the mortgage information yet you believe your mortgage company is paying on your behalf please contact your mortgage company directly.

Property owners cannot request to have the mortgage company removed from their property tax account. We require that this request come directly from the mortgage company.