Municipal property taxes are collected based on the funds required to balance the annual budget as approved by Town Council. Property taxes help pay for the municipal services which the Town of Smithers provides. The amount of property taxes you pay is based on the required tax rate and the assessed value of your property.
Notices are mailed at the end of May and can be viewed online. If you have not received your notice by the second week of June, please contact the Finance Department at propertytaxes@smithers.ca.
The property tax deadline is July 2, 2025. A 10% penalty will be applied on July 3, 2025, to all outstanding balances. In order to avoid the penalty, please ensure your payment has been received prior to the due date.
There are many Payment Options available to help ensure you pay property taxes on time.
Review the Property Tax Savings programs to determine if you are eligible for any reductions to the amount you owe on property taxes.
How Property Assessments Impact Property Taxes
Tax Rates
We often hear that taxes in Smithers are much higher than other municipalities across the province. When you look at the data, that’s not the case, we actually sit just below average!
In British Columbia, municipal property taxes are calculated using two key factors:
Property Assessment Value
Each year, BC Assessment determines the market value of properties across the province. This value reflects what a property would likely sell for on July 1 of the previous year.
Municipal Tax Rate (Mill Rate)
The municipal tax rate is set by each local government and is expressed as the amount of tax payable per $1,000 of assessed property value. It varies depending on budget needs and the total assessed property values in a community.
How They Work Together
If your property assessment increases, but the municipality’s budget remains the same, the tax rate may decrease to balance things out.
If assessments drop, the tax rate may go up to ensure the municipality collects enough revenue to fund services.
A higher tax rate in one town doesn’t necessarily mean higher taxes overall—it depends on the average home price.
Key Takeaway
The total amount of property tax you pay depends on both your assessed value and the municipal tax rate. Comparing tax rates between cities isn’t always fair without also considering local property values.
Town property taxes are just one part of the tax bill. Around 39% of what the Town collects is on behalf of other taxing authorities.
If your total tax bill is $3000, that means $1830 is collected on behalf of the Town for services like bylaw services, water, sewer, sidewalks and roads, snow clearing, garbage and recycling collection, fire and rescue/emergency services, RCMP, parks and playgrounds, recreation facilities, planning and development services, arts and culture, corporate services, and more.
The other $1170 is collected on behalf of other taxing authorities such as:
- The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako for waste disposal, the BV Regional Pool and Recreation Centre, and other regional services;
- North West Regional Hospital District;
- BC School Tax;
- BC Assessment/MFA
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find various information about property tax items below. Should you have any questions or require further information please contact the Finance Department.