Toronto’s New Vacant Home Tax

All residential property owners in Toronto will now be required to declare the occupancy status for all of their property(s) annually, even if they live there. The deadline to file is February 2nd.

The goal of the City of Toronto’s Vacant Home Tax (VHT) is to incentivize property owners to make their properties available for rent or sale, thus helping to increase the supply of housing in Toronto.

What is Vacant?

A property is considered vacant if it was not used as the principal residence by the owner(s) or any permitted occupant(s), or was unoccupied for a total of six months or more during the previous calendar year. Properties may also be deemed (or considered to be) vacant if an owner fails to make a declaration of occupancy status.

Vacant Home Tax Calculation

A Vacant Home Tax of one percent of the Current Value Assessment (CVA) will be imposed on all Toronto residences that are vacant for more than six months during the previous year. For example, if the CVA of your property is $1,000,000, the tax amount billed would be $10,000 (1% x $1,000,000).

The tax is based on the property’s occupancy status for the previous year. For example, if the home is vacant in 2022 the tax will become payable in 2023.

How to Declare

To make a declaration you will need your 21-digit assessment roll number and customer number from your property tax bill or property tax account statement.

Declarations of occupancy status should be made through the City’s secure online declaration portal.