City councillor Ron Cannan鈥檚 proposal to change how late property tax penalties are applied will go before council on Aug. 11.
Cannan is proposing a return to a split penalty system, where late payments would be penalized in two phases instead of one large penalty.
Currently, late tax payments are hit with a single 10 per cent penalty. Under the city鈥檚 previous system (used for nearly 20 years before being changed in 2020), the penalty was split鈥攆ive per cent following the July 2 deadline, and another five percent if still unpaid after 60 days.
He brought forward a similar motion, which was adopted, when he was on council in 2001.
Cannan says the current system is too harsh and doesn鈥檛 reflect fairness or compassion. At council鈥檚 July 21 meeting, he shared that many residents and business owners who missed payments this year did so unintentionally鈥攄ue to things like technical issues, medical emergencies, or honest mistakes鈥攁nd were upset by the full 10 per cent penalty.
Cannan noted that seniors and people with health or language challenges are more likely to miss deadlines, and a split penalty gives them more time to catch up.
He will submit a notice of motion at council鈥檚 Aug. 11 meeting to allow a vote on the proposal.
