E-News ~ December 7, 2023
Dear friends and neighbours,
With the deadline to declare a property’s occupancy status for the 2023 taxation year set for February 29, 2024, the City of Toronto is reminding all residential property owners of the requirement to submit a declaration. As part of the Vacant Home Tax program, a declaration must be made each year, even if the owner resides at the property.
A property is subject to the Vacant Home Tax if it is a residential property that is not the principal residence of the owner or permitted residents, is unoccupied for more than six months and does not qualify for an exemption or is a property where no declaration is submitted.
Property owners or their authorized representative (for example, a relative or friend) can declare the occupancy status of a property through the secure online portal available on the City’s Vacant Home Tax webpage: www.toronto.ca/VacantHomeTax. Alternatively, owners or their representative can submit a paper declaration form available at Property Tax and Utility customer service counters at Toronto City Hall and all Civic Centres, or by contacting 311. My Constituency Office at 2221 Keele Street, will also be available to help fill out paper declarations for those who need assistance. You can find more details regarding the Vacant Home Tax below.
The City is modifying and upgrading the storm and combined sewer system on Wright Avenue to reduce surface and basement flooding. This work also involves replacing the City-owned portion of substandard water services and sewer laterals. The sewer lateral is the pipe connecting your home's sewage plumbing to the City's sewer.
This project is part of the Council-approved 2023 Basement Flooding Protection Program to improve the water distribution system, renew our aging infrastructure and reduce the risk of sewer collapse or blockages that cause sewer backups and flooding. Please note that construction on Wright Avenue will take place at various times between 2023 and 2024, not for the entire duration of the contract. For more details check out my Construction Projects section below.
I wanted to bring to your attention a matter of growing concern that affects us all in our daily lives—Point of Sale Terminal Theft. In this era of digital transactions, criminals are increasingly targeting the vulnerable points of sale we encounter every day, putting our financial information at risk. This issue not only threatens our personal finances but also the stability of our local businesses. I urge each of you to stay vigilant and regularly monitor your financial statements. Additionally, I encourage local businesses to invest in robust security measures to safeguard our community against the rising threat of POS terminal theft by keeping these machines behind counters and locked up after opening hours. Together, we can create a safer and more secure environment for our neighbours and businesses.
Wishing you a warm and safe weekend.
Sincerely,
Frances