Greater Sudbury gives property owners more time to pay their 2021 taxes

A Greater Sudbury sign is pictured in this undated photo. (File)

Sudbury — Eligible property owners in Greater Sudbury hard hit by COVID-19 can postpone paying their taxes until December under a program approved this week.

Members of the finance committee approved the plan Tuesday. To be eligible, homeowners must prove hardship caused by the pandemic.

"The effect of the program will be to provide qualifying property owners up to an additional six months of penalty- and interest-free time to pay their 2021 property taxes in full," said a report on the program. "It is not a waiver or reduction in property taxes payable."

Property owners must meet certain criteria to qualify, including:

• All property tax accounts must have been paid in full as of April 30, 2021.

• Property taxes need to be paid directly to Greater Sudbury and not through a mortgage company.

• There must not be any outstanding application for any other form of property tax relief from the city with respect to the 2021 taxes.

For home and farm owners, you have to prove you own the property, and people who rent have to prove they pay the property taxes on the property.

Experienced financial hardship

And anyone who applies has to show they have experienced financial hardship because of COVID-19, for example showing they have received CERB or other special funding.

Landlords have to show they have lost rental income because of the pandemic of at least 30 per cent, among other criteria. Commercial property owners must show their business was harmed because of COVID-19.

In terms of how much revenue the city will lose under the program, exact figures aren't available because the number of people applying for relief is uncertain.

"For example, should 500 applications be approved that consists of a combination of residential and commercial accounts with an estimated tax levy of $8,500,000 in tax payments being deferred to Dec. 15, 2021, the cost to the corporation would be approximately $625,000 due to lower penalty, interest and investment revenue," the report said.

Read the full report here.