Affordable Access Program: Property Tax Exemption and Deferral Program
No fixed amount
Rebate
Description:
The program help homeowners pay their property tax through a payment plan, a deferral of property tax (payment is delayed to a later date), or a deferral of local improvement charges.
Comments on Funding:
You can apply for:
1. A payment plan: rather than two large payments, you can pay in smaller monthly amounts.
2. A rebate: if your household income is less than $48,000, the municipality will pay a portion of your property taxes. The amount of rebate varies with income and residential tax.
3. A rebate and a deferral: after the rebate has been applied to your tax account you can postpone payment of the remaining current year taxes. Interest is charged on the deferred tax amount at the rate set by Regional Council. The interest rate is Prime -2% for customers in the program and Prime +2% for customers who did not reapply.
4. A deferral of local improvement charges: you can postpone payment of all of your local improvement charge.
August 15, Decemebr 31 annually
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
1. be the registered owner or co-owner of the property. Registration means that the title to the property is registered with the Nova Scotia Land Registry of Deeds in your name.
1. If there is more than one owner, all owners must sign the application form unless they live out of province.
3. All persons residing on the property must be disclosed on the application form.
4. If there is a living interest, title by adverse possession, power of attorney, or formal trustee, additional information is required, such as a copy of the will or trustee papers. Call 311 for assistance.
5. The combined gross household income of all persons living on the property must be $48,000 or less.
6. The property must be your permanent place of residence (your “home”) not a cottage, second home, investment property holding, vacant lot, or income property.
a. A home includes a condominium, a mobile home, or a duplex.
b. Note: you can’t apply for a deferral of property if the property is a mobile home on land not owned by you. A mobile homeowner can apply for a rebate or payment plan but not a deferral.
Application Steps:
Applicants must:
1. Apply online at www.halifax.ca and submit it to:
affordableaccess@halifax.ca
Please use the subject line format below:
[First, Middle, and Last Name, Affordable Access Application]
E.g.: John David Smith, Affordable Access Application
Please Note: HRM recommends that you email your application to affordableaccess@halifax.ca to ensure
your application is received and processed in a timely manner.
2. Submit in person at the following locations:
Your local Community Recreation Centre
• For a list, please visit https://www.halifax.ca/recreation/facilities-fields/rec-centres
• If you would like more information on your closest Recreation Centre, please call 311.
The Customer Service Centre closest to you
• Alderney Gate
40 Alderney Dr, 1st Floor, Dartmouth
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Monday to Friday, excluding Holidays.
• Bayers Road Centre
7071 Bayers Rd, Suite 262, Main level, Halifax
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Monday to Friday, excluding Holidays.
• Musquodoboit Harbour – Satellite Office
7900 Highway #7, Musquodoboit Harbour
8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Monday to Friday, excluding Holidays.
3. Mail to:
Halifax Regional Municipality
Attention: Affordable Access Program
PO Box 1749
Halifax, NS B3J 3A5
Documentation Needed:
No specific documentation has been identified
Other Things to Note:
Deadlines:
August 15th of each year for an exemption on your final tax bill.
December 31st of each year for an exemption applied to the current year or interim tax bill the following year
About the author
Maurice