Property Taxes

This is the first tax bill that a resident receives in a given year.  It is calculated based on 50% of the previous year’s Final Tax Billing.  This billing is issued in February with installments generally due in March and May.

This is the second tax bill that a resident receives in a given year. It is calculated based on the completed Township Budget and respective tax rates as well as the tax rates provided by the County of Haliburton and the Province of Ontario for education.  The Final Tax Billing calculates all required amounts, less the amounts previously billed on the Interim Tax Billing. This bill is issued in June with installments generally due in July and September.

When you receive your property tax billing from the Township of Algonquin Highlands, it is significant to note that the Township is collecting taxes for the County of Haliburton, Provincial Education and the Township. The Township is obligated to disburse the required funds to the Province and the County regardless of whether or not the Township has received payment for the same. For this reason we are proactive in attempting to get our property tax accounts receivable as current as possible at all times.

A supplementary tax billing represents an adjustment to a previous tax bill that reflects any additions or improvements made to a property that were not previously assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). Similarly, when MPAC has omitted or failed to include a property, the newly included item must be assessed. When MPAC has completed their assessment, they advise the Township of the same, and we prepare a supplementary tax billing that reflects the change in assessed value. This process is not immediate but can occur at any time and assessment changes can be retroactive up to 3 years.  When this occurs, the entire billed amount is due as the respective time frame is in the past – residents are encourage to begin setting aside funds to cover these billings when they occur.