Property Taxes

Banks and credit unions that offer payment services provide the opportunity to pay tax bills online, through telephone banking, or in-person. Set up the City of Prince George as the payee and enter your tax folio number.

Please allow up to three business days to process to ensure payment is made on time. Be sure to include the property tax folio number when paying online.

Cheques may be mailed to City Hall at:

City of Prince George
1100 Patricia Boulevard
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9
Canada

Tax payments sent by mail must be received at City Hall by the due date. Mail postmarked by the due date is not accepted as on time.

Property taxes may be paid through a pre-payment plan. Residents may complete an application form and submit it in person at the City Hall Service Centre:

City Hall Service Centre
1100 Patricia Boulevard
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9
Canada

A void cheque, direct deposit form, or counter cheque must be provided with the application form.

• Download the Pre-Authorized Monthly Payment Plan form [PDF]
  

Change Banking Information or Cancel a Pre-Payment Plan

To change banking information or to cancel a pre-payment plan, fill out the pre-payment plan change form (either as a downloadable PDF or through a web form), print the document, and submit it in person at the City Hall Service Centre.

• Submit the Change of Banking Information/Cancellation form online
  

Change in Mailing Address

For mailing address changes to property taxes or utilities accounts, complete the mailing address change online form (either as a downloadable PDF or through a web form) or mailing address change editable PDF and submit it in person at the City Hall Service Centre.

• Download the Mailing Address Change form [PDF]
• Submit the Mailing Address Change form online
  

Payments may be made in person by cheque, cash, or debit card at the City Hall Service Centre during regular working hours:

City Hall Service Centre
1100 Patricia Boulevard
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9

Phone: 311 (or 250-561-7600 outside city limits)
Email: 311@princegeorge.ca
Hours:

• Monday to Friday - 8:30am to 5:00pm
  
• Closed on statutory holidays
  

After-Hours Payments and Drop-Offs

Cheques may be left in drop boxes located at either City Hall entrance. You may also use the drop boxes for after-hours payments.

Do not leave cash in drop boxes.

Permissive tax exemption is available for qualifying, registered non-profit organizations using property for municipal, recreational, religious, cultural or charitable purposes.

• Download the 2022 Permissive Tax Exemption Application form [PDF]
  

Tax deferment is a low-interest loan program administrated by the Government of B.C. that helps qualified B.C. homeowners pay their annual property taxes on their principal residence.

• Learn more about the B.C. tax deferment program
  

The City is required by the Local Government Act on the last Monday of September to sell at tax sale all properties where taxes have not been paid in three years. The Local Government Act gives the Collector authority to sell a property for the "Upset Price" which equals all outstanding taxes + penalties + interest + five (5) per cent tax sale costs + Land Title Office fees.

All property sales are "as is" without warrant or guarantee by the City of Prince George. For complete information, prospective purchasers should consult the Local Government Act, in particular (but not limited to) Sections 403 to 428.

Tax rate tables from previous years are available for download. 

• 2021 Tax Rate table [PDF]
  
• 2020 Tax Rate table [PDF]
  
• 2019 Tax Rate table [PDF]
  
• 2018 Tax Rate table [PDF]
  
• 2017 Tax Rate table [PDF]
• 2016 Tax Rate table [PDF]

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Council and City staff have together been balancing public health orders and declining City revenues with the need to deliver critical services and maintain local infrastructure. When the pandemic was first declared, many facilities closed, and more than 100 positions were affected. Some facilities have since been able to re-open at different service levels but there is continued uncertainty, and this will likely continue to affect budgets and City operations through 2021.

The Governments of BC and Canada are helping, and have provided the City of Prince George with $6.1 million of emergency assistance – called “Safe Restart” funding – to support operating costs. Council has used just over $3 million of this amount to date, which enabled them to provide relief to local residents by freezing tax increases in 2021.

2021 Budget Measures Approved by Council

• Increasing the annual budget for snow and ice control from $8.5 to $10 million.
• A $501,000 increase in the City operating budget to cover all service areas except those with service/utility fees.
• A $150,000 increase in the budget for road and sidewalk rehabilitation.
• A $125,000 increase in funding for infrastructure reinvestment to keep pace with inflation.
• No cost-of-living salary increase for the Mayor, members of Council, or City management for the second year in a row.
• Reduction of travel, conferences, and other discretionary expenses.
  

For more information:

• Read the May 10, 2021 Staff Report to Council on the 2021–2025 Financial Plan and Tax Rates Bylaw
  
• Download City of Prince George Bylaw No. 9200, 2021 [PDF]
• Download City of Prince George Bylaw No. 9201, 2021 [PDF]
• Download the 2021 Tax Information sheet [PDF]
  

At the conclusion of the 2021 budget deliberations, Council approved a zero per cent tax increase.

This means the total amount of property taxes collected in 2021 will be the same as 2020 (not including new development). The amount each property is taxed is also a function of the assessed value of the property as determined by the BC Assessment Authority. 

This ensures a fair distribution of taxes according to the value of the property. This year, the residential tax rate (an amount charged per $1,000 of assessed value) has actually decreased from last year but if your assessed value increased, it is possible that your tax bill could still be higher in 2021 than it was in 2020.

Tax levels among B.C. municipalities are very similar, but housing in Prince George is more affordable.

For more information:

• Watch BC Assessment's video on understanding property taxes and assessments
  
• Find your property's assessed value for 2021 from the BC Assessment Authority
  

• Services such as water, sanitary sewer, and residential garbage collection are billed separately from property taxes. User fees (collected through City utility bills) support the operating costs of these services as well as the replacement of ageing infrastructure.

Where Your Tax Dollars Go

A portion of the taxes paid to the City every year goes toward municipal taxes while the rest are collected by the City and distributed to other taxation authorities like the Regional District, BC Assessment, and the Municipal Finance Authority.