Frequently Asked Questions

City of Mission
8645 Stave Lake Street, PO Box 20
Mission, BC     V2V 4L9

Office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays

Email us at: tax@mission.ca    OR  utilityfees@mission.ca
Phone Lines:  Tax – 604-820-3717                     Utilities – 604-820-3718
Fax:  604-820-1363

No, unfortunately the City does NOT accept credit cards for property tax or utility payments.

Yes.  The City welcomes post-dated cheques.  Please ensure that the information on the cheque is correct and complete.  Your cashed cheque is your receipt.

Property tax notices are mailed by the end of May each year, and are due the first business day after July 1st.

If you have not received your property tax notice by the first week of June, please contact the Finance Department at tax@mission.ca or at 604-820-3717.

The City of Mission is obligated to issue tax notices using the mailing address provided by BC Assessment.  If the mailing address on your tax notice is incorrect, it should be changed using the BC Assessment Change of Address Notification form.

• The City’s system will show the new mailing address in about 6-8 weeks.
• Mailing addresses in the City’s property tax system provided by BC Assessment are only for property taxes and utility billing.
• It is important to note that City Hall’s property tax system is only for information purposes, we are unable to make any changes to reflect your new address.

The most common ways to pay your property taxes are:

• Telephone or internet banking, or in-person at most financial institutions.
• Canada Post or Courier – City of Mission, 8645 Stave Lake Street, PO Box 20, Mission, BC   V2V 4L9  Be sure to mail early.  All payments must be received at Municipal Hall on or before the due date.  Mail lost or delayed will be subject to a penalty.  Post marks are NOT accepted as date of payment.
• Secure Drop Boxes – located at the south and north entrances at Municipal Hall (8645 Stave Lake Street) and at the Mission Leisure Centre Reception (7650 Grand Street). Drop boxes are emptied daily.  NO cash please.
• Please make cheques payable to City of Mission.

Think ahead for next year’s taxes and fill out a Property Tax Pre-payment Plan Application form.

The most flexible option for making prepayments (or payments) is setting up recurring bill payments through your financial institution’s telephone or online banking system.  You choose the frequency, the day of the month, and the amount.  (Your 9 digit roll number [no dashes] is your account number).

More information on Payment Methods and the Pre-Payment Plan.

The Pre-Authorized Debit Plan is a convenient way to make prepayments toward your next year’s taxes.

For more information and terms and conditions visit Pre-Authorized Debit Plan.

For a Property Tax Pre-payment Plan Application form.

The most flexible option for making prepayments (or payments) is setting up recurring bill payments through your financial institution’s telephone or online banking system.  You choose the frequency, the day of the month, and the amount.  (Your 9 digit roll number [no dashes] is your account number).

More information on Payment Methods and the Pre-Payment Plan.

• Change in assessment values
• New or increased utility charges (water, sewer, garbage, recycling/composting)
• New local improvement charges
• Changes in Home Owner Grant status

Council approves the general levy for the entire City’s budget, but that doesn’t mean you will see that same percentage change on your tax notice.  Many factors influence the taxes on a given property making it different from the overall percentage approved by Council and reported in the media.

If every property value assessment in the municipality increased or decreased by exactly the same amount every year, the increase in your general levy would be comparable to the rate approved by Council.  In reality, each year some assessments go up more (or less) than the average and some assessments may go down.  If BC Assessment reports the average residential assessment increased by 10% but your own assessment went up 20%, it’s likely that your taxes will go up by more than the increase amount passed by Council. This does not indicate that your taxes are going up 20%.

Another factor is that the City of Mission collects taxes on behalf of other taxing authorities.  They develop their own budgets outside of the City’s control  Other charges such as water, sewer, garbage or recycling/composting may also appear on your notice, but are not included in the general levy which is the number most often reported in the media.

With so many factors coming into play, it becomes clear why an increase passed by Council doesn’t necessarily equal the change on your own property tax notice.

When the annual budget is adopted by Council for the current year, Council passes a Tax Rate Bylaw.  This Bylaw sets a levy rate for each class as defined on the BC Assessment Roll.  This levy must be sufficient to raise revenue to pay all debts and obligations of the C falling due within the year.  This rate applies to each $1,000 of taxable assessment value of land and improvements.  This rate is referred to as the General Tax Levy.

The City of Mission is not the only authority that taxes properties in the City.  Six other taxing authorities derive a portion of their annual revenue from the property base.

The City of Mission has no or little control over these other taxing authorities’ levies.  However, to reduce the administrative cost of billing and collecting these other property taxes, the City of Mission includes these levies on the property tax notice sent to property owners each year.

The City of Mission is legislated by the Community Charter and requires a 10% penalty be imposed on any unpaid property taxes that remain outstanding after the July due date.  This legislation does not give authority to the City to waive late penalty charges and is applied consistently to all taxpayers.

Your payment must be received by the City of Mission and claim your Home Owner Grant (if eligible) with the Provincial Government on or before the due date to avoid penalty charges. Grants not claimed or incomplete are considered unpaid taxes and will result in penalty charges.

Failure of an intermediary, such as Canada Post, Courier, a lawyer or notary, to remit a payment or a grant application on behalf of the owner is a private matter for resolution between the parties involved and is outside the Tax Collector’s authority and responsibility.

If property taxes are not paid by the end of the year, the outstanding balance will accrue interest.

If taxes remain unpaid at the end of three (3) years, the property is publicly auctioned at Tax Sale to recover the taxes owing as stated the Community Charter and the Local Government Act.

For more information on the tax sale process, visit our Tax Sale page.

The assessed value of a property and improvements are determined by BC Assessment.  BC Assessment is an independent agency created by the Provincial Government for the purpose of valuing all properties in BC for taxation purposes. It is important to check all details on the Property Assessment Notice when you receive it.

• If you would like to know how properties are assessed, please visit BC Assessment’s website.
• You can search the assessed value of any property in BC online; by going to: evaluebc.bcassessment.ca and type in the address.
• For questions or concerns regarding your property’s assessed value, contact BC Assessment.

The City determines property taxes by applying the assessed value of properties from BC Assessment to the current tax rate(s) to arrive at the amount of taxes owing each year.  You cannot appeal property taxes, but you can appeal your assessment.  Visit BC Assessment’s website for appeal process, deadlines, and details.

• You do not need to call to change your address as the Land Title Office provides changes to municipalities.
• Your notary or lawyer will acquire a tax certificate.  Please talk to your notary or lawyer and they will advise you if you or the new owner will be responsible for the tax payment and claiming the grant (if eligible).
• If you pay online, update the payee and account information on your financial institution’s website.
• Change or Cancel your Property Tax Pre-Payment Plan at least five business days before the property is sold.
• Return a property tax notice to the City (marked “SOLD”) that is no longer your responsibility.

• You do not need to call to change your address as the Land Title Office provides changes to municipalities.
• Your notary or lawyer will acquire a tax certificate.  Please talk to your notary or lawyer and they will advise you if you or the previous owner will be responsible for the tax payment and claiming the grant (if eligible).
• If you pay online, update the payee and account information on your financial institution’s website.
• Contact the Finance Department if you have not received your tax notice.