Tax sales

The 2024 property tax sale scheduled for October 7, 2024, has been cancelled as all delinquent taxes have been paid.

A tax sale is a public auction of properties with unpaid property taxes from the last two years. Under the Local Government Act, municipalities in B.C. must hold a tax sale every year on the last Monday in September at 10 a.m.

Public notice

The Local Government Act requires municipalities to publish a tax sale notice in a local newspaper at least twice. The final notice must be given at least three days, but no more than 10 days, before the sale.

  • The notice must include the time and place of the annual tax sale, as well as the legal description and street address of each property.
  • To avoid your property being listed, you must pay all delinquent taxes at least two weeks before the sale date.

How the tax sale works

  • Bidding is accepted on all properties.
  • Bidders are responsible for checking property titles to determine if any charges are registered against the property.
  • The minimum bid is the upset price, which includes all outstanding taxes, penalties, interest, a 5 per cent tax sale fee and Land Title Office fees.
  • If no bids are made within three calls by the auctioneer, the City will purchase the property at the upset price

Purchasing property at the tax sale

The successful bidder must:

  • Provide a social insurance number (SIN) or business number (corporate seal if required).
  • Pay the upset price immediately by cash, cheque or bank draft.
  • Pay the full bid amount by 3 p.m. on the day of the sale.

If the upset price is not paid immediately, the property is put up for sale again. If the full payment is not received by 3 p.m., the property is re-auctioned at 10 a.m. the following day.

Notifying charge holders

Within 90 days after the tax sale, the collector must search all property titles and notify all registered charge holders.

Redemption period

The original owner has one year after the sale to redeem the property by paying:

  • The upset price.
  • Any costs the buyer incurred for property maintenance.
  • Any additional property taxes paid by the buyer.
  • Interest at a rate set by the province.

All registered charge holders also have the right to redeem the property.

If a property is redeemed, the tax sale purchaser is refunded their purchase price plus interest.

Property not redeemed

If the property is not redeemed within one year, ownership is transferred to the successful bidder. The previous owner is entitled to claim any surplus from the sale (funds collected beyond the upset price and eligible costs). They must claim these funds from the municipality within nine months. After that, any unclaimed funds are transferred to the B.C. Unclaimed Property Society, which administers them under the Unclaimed Property Act. 

If the property is not sold, receives no bids or no bids meet the upset price, the municipality becomes the owner. In this case, three options are available:

  • The collector may offer the property for sale again later at the annual tax sale.
  • If there are improvements to the land, redemption payments by installments may occur.
  • The Council may, by bylaw, extend the redemption period by one year.