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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.
