5.3°C
Thursday May 17, 2012: - full forecast
Budget Information
Current Budget Information
- 2012-2016 Budget Information Package
- Map of Proposed 2012 Road Capital
- Council's April 10, 2012, Presentation of the Financial Plan
- 2012-2016 Five Year Financial Plan Bylaw No. 1686
2011-2015 Budget Information
Municipal Property Taxes
2012 TAX DUE DATE: Tuesday, July 3, 2012
HOG Claims (E-HOG), Tax Certificates; Tax Searches
For more taxation information, please go to Property Tax.
- 2012 Notice to Taxpayers
- 2012 Tax Rates All Taxing Authorities
- 2012 Property Tax Rate Bylaw No. 1687
Property Taxes Paid by a Mortgagor
Many property owners choose to have their property taxes paid by their mortgage company or financial institution (the Mortgagor). When property owners make their mortgage payments, the Mortgagor allocates a portion of each total mortgage payment to a property tax account held by the Mortgagor. This type of a mortgage is referred to as a ‘Principal, Interest, and Taxes' mortgage (P.I.T. mortgage). P.I.T. mortgages allocate a portion of each payment towards Principal, Interest, and Property Taxes (P.I.T.). The portion of the mortgage payment that is allocated to property taxes accumulates and is forwarded to the Town of Smithers, by the Mortgagor, when property taxes are due (usually July 2nd).
If your taxes are being remitted by a mortgage company or financial institution, you will still receive a property tax notice from the Town of Smithers. The Town of Smithers mails to each Mortgagor a listing of all known properties to which this Mortgagor remits property taxes on behalf of. It is between you and your Mortgagor to ensure the correct property taxes are paid to the Town of Smithers taking into consideration your eligibility of the Provincial Home Owner Grant. You are not required to take your property tax notice to your Mortgagor - they will already have been advised of the property taxes outstanding on your property.
Note:
The Mortgagor must advise the Town of Smithers that they require annual property tax information on your property. As a precaution, it is recommended that if you have a new mortgage that you take a copy of your property tax notice to your Mortgage holder to ensure that they are remitting property taxes on your behalf.
Home Owner Grants
EHOG (On Line: Home Owner Grant Claims; Tax Certificates; & Tax Searches)
Read more about the Home Owner Grant
If you are eligible for the Home Owner Grant (HOG) you must advise your Mortgagor of the grant that you qualify for. This grant must be claimed each year that you are eligible, and cannot be signed by your Mortgagor.
If eligible, to avoid penalty for late payment of the grant portion of your property taxes, you must apply for a grant on or before the tax due date (usually the first business day after July 1st). You may apply before the tax due date. If the grant is not claimed prior to the due date, you will be levied a penalty on the total property tax amount outstanding of which your unclaimed grant is a part of. Home Owner Grants must be claimed each year. Homeowner Grant Application Forms are located on the bottom portion of the tax notice.
Property tax overpayments can occur as a result of both the property owner and mortgagor paying the property taxes. Conversely, property tax underpayments and consequently penalties arise as a result of the property owner believing that the ‘Mortgagor (bank) will take care of it all'. The Mortgagor cannot claim the Home Owner Grant - it is your responsibility, if eligible, to claim the grant on or before the tax due date (usually July 2nd), to avoid a 10% penalty on the unclaimed grant portion of your property taxes.
Claim your Home Owner Grant On-Line...
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Claim your Home Owner Grant On-line through the Town's website at http://www.smithers.ca using the Town's E-HOG (electronic home owner grant) program. Online: HOG Claims (E-HOG) Please make sure that your computer is set to allow pop-ups from this site. You will be asked to enter your Roll Number and the Access Code, which are located on the top right hand corner of your 2012 Smithers' tax notice.
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After claiming the HOG on-line please ensure that you see a screen stating that your application has been submitted and that you can print off the confirmation page for your records. If you are unsure as to whether it was processed properly please contact the Town Office.
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We encourage taxpayers to claim their Home owner grants online to avoid line ups and to eliminate the possibility of forgetting to claim your home owner grant.
Property Tax Prepayment Plan
If your property taxes are not paid by a Mortgagor, the Town of Smithers has a Property Tax Prepayment Plan, which you may participate in.
You can make tax prepayments for the next tax year (2013) using the Town of Smithers' "Tax Prepayment Plan".
Tax prepayments start in August of each year and end by mid May of the year the taxes are billed out. Payments are taken out of your bank account automatically each month. Interest is paid on the tax prepayments. Forms to enroll in this program can be downloaded from the Town's website or obtained at the Town Office.
Seniors Water and Sewer Fee Exemption
The Town of Smithers offers Seniors over the age of 65 an exemption from their annual water/sewer fees, under the Provisions of Bylaws 1679 and 1680. Only those senior citizens eligible to claim the current year's "over 65" Provincial homeowner grant are eligible for an annual water/sewer user fee exemption. Only those seniors charged a water/sewer user fee on their annual tax notice are eligible for an annual water/sewer user fee exemption.
The Senior Citizen's water/sewer user fee exemption shall be either of the following:
A) Seniors who are eligible for the "65 years of age and older " Provincial Home Owner grant will receive a 50% fee exemption off of the regular residential water/sewer user fees.
OR
B) Seniors who are eligible for the "65 years of age and older" Provincial Home Owner grant and who sign a declaration stating that one, or all, of the following 3 criteria applies to them,
- Eligible for a Federal Seniors' Guaranteed Income Supplement;
- Receive a Federal Seniors' Guaranteed Income Supplement; and/or
- Undergoing financial hardship and in need of financial assistance;
will receive a 100% exemption off of the regular residential water/sewer user fees.
The process to claim the senior's annual water/sewer user fee exemption is as follows:
- Each year, when the senior citizen claims their annual "over 65 years of age" Provincial homeowner grant, they can claim their allowable exemption from the annual residential water/sewer fees shown on their tax notice.
- A signed and completed Senior Citizen Water/Sewer Exemption Claim Form is to be submitted to the Smithers Town Office by the property tax due date; and a reduction will be made to the senior citizen's current total property taxes owing by the annual water/sewer residential user fee senior citizen exemption claimed.
2012 Seniors Water and Sewer Fee Exemption Application Form
Provincial Tax Deferment Programs
The Province has tax deferment plans in place for the 2012 tax year. These are loan programs that allow property owners to defer annual property taxes as long as certain criteria are met and as long as they own, and live, in their home. The regular tax deferment program is for property owners that are either over the age of 55, a surviving spouse of any age, or a person with disability as defined by the regulation. The Families with Children program is for property owners who are paying financial support for a dependent child.
For each of the provincial tax deferment plans there is an application process through the Town that has to occur. There are a few fees and charges that the Province does not cover and they require that you claim your annual home owner grant. For more information on these Provincial Tax Deferment programs please contact the Smithers Town Office or go to the Provincial Tax Deferment website at www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/individuals/Property_Taxes/Property_Tax_Deferment/ptd.htm
Avoid Long Line Ups at Tax & Utility Times
Here are some options that will eliminate having to wait in line at tax and utility due dates.
Paying Taxes Online:
You can pay your taxes using on-line banking services. You may pay using on-line bill payment services through the BV Credit Union, Royal Bank, CIBC and the Bank of Nova Scotia. You will need your 10 digit roll number (including the 478 jurisdiction number) to set up the Town of Smithers as an entity to make a payment.
Paying Taxes Using Interac:
You may pay by Interac at the Town Office.
Paying at the BV Credit Union:
If you have a bank account at the BV Credit Union you may pay your taxes there and also leave your completed Home Owner Grant form at the Credit Union. They will immediately remit your payment and/or Home Owner Grant claim to the Town.
Post Dated Cheques:
You can pay your taxes with a cheque post dated to the tax due date! This will allow Town staff time to check your payment and Home Owner Grant application. Staff can notify you prior to the due date if there are any issues with your payment or grant application. The payment is not cashed at the Bank until the date of the cheque. Cheques must be RECEIVED at th Town Office by the tax due date in order to avoid the 10% penalty. Post marks on envelopes are not acceptable.
Payment Drop Box:
There is a payment drop box located at the main entrance of the Town office - fronting Aldous Street. Place your cheque and/or Home Owner Grant in an envelope and drop it in the box. Your payments will be processed promptly each morning (Monday to Friday).
Your Mortgagor (Bank) Pays your Taxes:
If your Mortgagor pays your taxes and you are eligible for a Home Owner Grant, avoid a penalty by claiming your grant as soon as you receive your tax notice. Click here for more information on Property Taxes Paid by a Mortgagor.
To avoid line-ups or penalties associated with problems with your Home Owner Grant, applications should be sent to the Town office as soon as you receive your tax notice. Don't wait until the tax due date! If you are unable to pay your property taxes, you should still claim your Home Owner Grant prior to the due date to avoid penalties on the Grant portion of your taxes.
Accounts Payable
The Accounts Payable function of the Finance Department is responsible for paying invoices to suppliers and contractors of the Town of Smithers. All invoices must reference a purchase order to avoid payment delays. The purchase order must contain the following information:
- Date;
- Supplier/Vendor name and address;
- Description of materials or services purchased with applicable pricing and taxes;
- General ledger account number to charge expenditure to;
- Aggregate cost of requisition; and
- Authorized signature.
The Town of Smithers seeks to obtain services or make its purchases from reliable suppliers, recognizing that although price is important, other elements of value, including quality, ability to deliver at required times, service and customer relations, constitute total cost to the Town of Smithers. Local suppliers will be given preference whenever possible.
Suppliers and contractors are selected to ensure a high degree of flexibility, a good level of competition and a constant awareness of product development and technical improvements. They must possess high ethical standards, quality service, valid Town of Smithers business licence, and a good record of adhering to specifications and maintaining delivery schedules.
Payment Terms:
- Payments are "net 30 days" from date of invoice, providing that an invoice is submitted, and receipt of acceptable materials or services is verified. There are situations where payment shall be made earlier, if such early payment is required in order to take advantage of discount terms and conditions.
- Payments are made twice a month on the 10th & 25th.
- Payments shall be mailed directly to the payee, unless requested otherwise.
For more information please contact the Finance Department at 250-847-1600 and have the purchase order number and invoice number handy to assist with enquiries.
Grant-in-Aid Information
Grant-in-Aid Package Information
Activities of the Department
- Prepare annual year end consolidated financial statements.
- Collect revenue.
- Accounts payable of expenditures.
- Bill out and collect property taxes and utilities.
- Bill out and collect various accounts receivable.
- Keep up to-date property tax assessment roll based on property changes, respond to property tax inquiries.
- Implementation of frontage taxes on tax notices based on local improvement projects.
- Prepare annual municipal property tax rates.
- Collect, and then remit, property taxes on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Regional District, Regional Hospital, BC Assessment and Municipal Finance Authority.
- Administer home owner grants on behalf of the Province.
- Prepare five year capital and operating plans.
- Debt management.
- Tax sales.
- Regulate and monitor Town investments.
- Prepare bi-weekly payroll for Town employees.
- Manage benefits for Town employees.
- Prepare Finance related bylaws.
- Prepare periodic financial analysis as requested by senior staff and Council.
- Prepare monthly budget analysis and reports for department heads.
- Complete required financial activities as per statute (Local Government Act).
- Send financial information to the as required and requested.
- Administer grants in aids as approved by Council.
- Manage and operate municipal financial software (Vadim) and Town network hardware (Windows NT).
Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program (CARIP) Report 2011
The Town of Smithers, along with the Province of British Columbia and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, has signed the Climate Action Charter (CAC) pledging to achieve the following goals:
- Be carbon neutral in Corporate Operations by 2012
- Measure and report on our community greenhouse gas emission profile
- Work to create compact, more energy efficient communities.
Smithers Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program Report 2011
