Property Taxes

The Township of Bonfield follows provincial legislation and local by-laws to ensure fair, accurate, and timely property tax billing and collection. The main documents that govern these processes are: 

Municipal Act, 2001 (Province of Ontario)

This is the primary legislation that outlines how municipalities in Ontario must manage property taxation. It includes rules for:

• Billing and due dates
• Penalty and interest charges
• Tax arrears and collections
• Tax sales and enforcement
• Authority of the municipal treasurer

By-law 2024-66 Tax Billing and Collections Policy (Bonfield Township)

Adopted by Council this by-law outlines the Township’s official policies and procedures for:

• Issuing interim and final tax bills
• Accepting tax payments and payment methods
• Applying penalties and interest for late payments
• Managing tax arrears and collection processes
• Handling tax sales, refunds, and extensions
• Communicating with property owners

For a complete list of fees please see Administration User Fees By-Law 2024-21

Supplementary and Omitted Assessments: If the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) notifies the Township of new or changed property assessments during the year (for example, new construction, renovations, or corrections), the Township will issue a supplementary bill​. Supplementary bills are in addition to the interim/final bills and must be paid right away. If you’re on a monthly payment plan, you will be notified that the extra tax must be paid on top of your normal payments (or you can adjust your plan)​.

Mailing Address & Statements: By default, tax bills are sent to the property address. If you want bills sent to a different address (for example, your home if you own a rental), you must tell the Township in writing. This alternate address stays in effect until you change it in writing​. Not receiving your bill does not excuse late payment – it’s your responsibility to pay on time even if you didn’t see the bill.

More information can be found in By-law 2024-66

Tax Certificates 

A tax certificate is a legal document typically purchased by lawyers or financial institutions that shows the annual taxes and any current or prior year arrears on a given property. 

To request a tax certificate from the Township of Bonfield, please mail a formal request letter to the Township Office. The request must:

• Be printed on your organization’s official letterhead
• Include the following information:
  • Property owner's full name
  • Municipal address of the property
  • 19-digit roll number
  • Legal description of the property 

Mail your request to 365 Hwy 531, Bonfield, ON, P0H 1E0 

Verbal tax information

Staff cannot provide verbal information for new tax certificate requests.

Property owners of newly constructed homes will receive a tax bill for the value of the vacant lot only until the home is assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). A supplementary tax bill will then be issued for taxes on the value of the house only. This process can take up to two years, and the tax bills will be retroactive to the date that you purchased the home. You may receive multiple bills, one for each year since the purchase date. 

To plan for these supplementary tax bills, please contact the Township Office to help you calculate the estimated value based on the purchase price of your home. Alternatively, you can sign up for the pre-authorized payment plan to have payments automatically deducted from your bank account.

If you miss a due date, the Township automatically adds penalties and interest each month on the unpaid amount. Under Ontario law (Municipal Act, Sec. 345) and local by-law, the rate is 1.25% per month on any overdue tax balance​. Penalties are charged on the first day of each month on any taxes still unpaid. 

Returned Payments: If your tax payment is returned an administration fee will be added to your amount owing. You will receive a notice from the Township explaining that the payment was returned, the amount of the administration fee, and the updated balance that is now owing on your account. 

Important: Penalties and interest cannot be waived. Once applied, they must be paid just like taxes​. 

Property assessments for the current property tax year will continue to be based on January 1, 2016, current values. This means your assessment will remain the same unless there have been changes to your property. 

Want to learn more? 

We encourage you to visit AboutMyProperty.ca to learn more about how your property was assessed, see the information MPAC has on file, as well as compare it to others in your neighbourhood. 

Request for Reconsideration

If you believe the assessed value or classification of your property is incorrect, you can file a Request for Reconsideration with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

The deadline to submit a Request for Reconsideration is printed on your Property Assessment Notice. For full details and to submit a request, please visit the MPAC Request for Reconsideration website. 

Final tax bills are calculated using the property assessment provided to the Township of Bonfield by MPAC in December of the previous year. If your property assessment is adjusted after the final tax bill has been issued, the Township will mail you a separate adjustment notice.

Questions? 

Do you have questions about your Property Assessment?

• Visit AboutMyProperty.ca or contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 
• Customer Contact Centre at 1-866-296-MPAC (6722), or 1-877-889-MPAC (6722).