Home Owner Grant

The Home Owner Grant is a grant provided by the British Columbia Government to owners of residential property. The grant, if eligible, must be claimed each year. The application form is attached to the bottom of your tax notice, or you can claim it online at eHog.

The Basic Home Owner Grant is up to $770. To be eligible, you must:

• be a permanent resident of British Columbia
• be living in the house at the time you claim the grant, and
• be shown on the title as a registered owner.

The grant cannot be claimed on vacant land. Only ONE grant is allowed for each property, and you can only claim the grant once each year. When there are joint owners or multiple owners on title, any ONE owner on the title can claim the grant. If the property is registered to a company, no grant can be claimed. If your mortgage company is paying your taxes, you must still complete the Grant application, if eligible, and ensure it is received by the City by the tax due date.

An additional grant of up to $275 is available for seniors and persons with permanent disabilities. If you are 65 or will be turning 65 during the current year, complete section 2 of the Home Owner Grant application. Please ensure you enter the date of your birth. If you are a person with disabilities, or are the spouse or relative of a person with disabilities and that person lives with you, you may be eligible for the disability grant. The disability must be permanent and must require extensive physical assistance or costly structural modifications to the home to be eligible. Your doctor must complete the appropriate form to certify the disability. These forms are available at City Hall.

If the registered owner of the property is recently deceased, a spouse or relative also living on the property (as their principal residence) may claim the grant, but only if they were living with the deceased at time of death, and are living in the home when they claim the grant.

New owners, whose names are not yet on the property tax notice, must produce a copy of their Certificate of Title or Freehold Transfer when claiming the Home Owner Grant. If you think you might be eligible for the additional grant under Section 2 of the Home Owner Grant application, please contact the tax department for further information.

If you qualify for the grant, but do not complete the application correctly and completely, your grant cannot be processed and the City will not receive the grant money from the provincial government.

Your property tax account will show an unpaid amount, and you will be charged a 10% penalty on the outstanding property tax balance. As well, if there is still a balance owing on January 1 of the following year, then daily interest will also be charged.

Did you know that you must re-affirm that you are entitled to claim a home owner grant for the current year, even if you successfully claimed the grant last year?

Your properly completed grant claim must be received by the City of Vernon before the due date each year in order for you to pay a reduced amount of property tax without incurring a penalty.

The Province of BC requires all eligible claimants to re-attest their eligibility each year. This means that the owner must re-affirm that they are entitled to claim a grant for the current year, even if they successfully claimed a home owner grant in the prior year.

Whether claiming online or on paper, it is critical that your submission reach the City by the July due date.

If you choose to rely on the postal system, or any other means for delivery, your grant must still reach the City by the due date to avoid penalty.

Even if you are submitting your grant late, it is best to submit it before the end of the year to avoid any interest charges.