Taxes
Residential Tax
Responsibility for property assessment (value) in Nova Scotia rests with the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC). The municipality sets the tax rate. Currently in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough the residential property tax rate is:
$0.61 (61 cents) per $100 of assessed value.
So if your residential property is assessed at $100,000, your annual municipal taxes would be $610.
Residential taxes apply to single-family residences, multi-family residences, duplexes, apartments, condominiums, nursing homes, seasonal dwellings, manufactured homes, and some vacant land.
In 2010 total Taxable Residential Assessment for the Municipality was $177,668,950.
Resource Tax
Resource tax rates apply to farm property (land and buildings used for agricultural purposes), forest property owned by a person who owns less than fifty thousand acres, community fishermen's service building occupied and used by boat owners who are licensed commercial fishermen and the land used in connection with a municipal water utility.
The current Resource Rate for MODG is also $0.61 per $100 of assessment. The 2010 Taxable Resource Assessment for the Municipality was $28,099,588.
It is possible for a property with several distinct uses to fall into more than one class. For example, commercial and residential space might be combined in one building. A property may also be a combination of residential, farm and forest land. In these cases, Property Valuation Services Corporation determines the share of the value of the property attributable to each class.
Land Transfer Tax
The Municipality of the District of Guysborough has a Deed Transfer Tax of 1.0 per cent of the value of the property transferred. The Deed Transfer Tax is collected on the Municipality’s behalf by the Province of Nova Scotia at the Registry of Deeds located on the lower floor at 33 Pleasant Street, Guysborough, Nova Scotia. You can contact the Registry of Deeds by calling 902-533-4011.
Property Tax Billing and Interest Rates
The Municipality’s tax bills are normally issued in early April and are due on or before July 31. All taxes not paid by the due date accrue interest at a rate of 18 per cent per annum (1.5% per month). This annual tax bill is for the period spanning April 1 through to March 31. The Municipality sends out approximately 8,500 annual tax bills with reminder notices going out in September, November, January and March. If you have any questions about your tax bill, please contact the Tax Office at 902-533-3705 ext. 229.
Tax Payments Methods
Tax payments may be made at the Municipal Tax Office, 33 Pleasant Street, Guysborough, NS B0H 1N0 by presenting your tax bill to the Tax Clerk, Monday through Friday between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. The Municipality offers an Interac Machine and accept Debit Card Payment (Credit cards are NOT accepted.). Your payment can also be made by mail. Send your cheque or money order to the Tax Office at PO Box 79, Guysborough, NS B0H 1N0. Please remember to enclose the remittance stub of your tax bill with your payment and indicate your property number(s) on your cheque or money order. Online and telephone banking are other alternatives for paying property tax bills through most financial institutions.
Area Rates
A number of properties in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough attract various area rates/charges including fire tax, street lighting and sewer operating charges. If you have any questions about your tax bill, tax rate or area rates please contact the Tax Office at 902-533-3705 ext. 229.
Staff Contact
Ellen Long
Tax Revenue Clerk
Tel: 902-533-3705 ext. 229
Fax: 902-533-2749
Email
Please access the following links to obtain more information on the following topics:
Who is the PVSC?
http://www.pvsc.ca/sub_pages/about_us/about_us_main.html
What is property assessment?
http://www.pvsc.ca/sub_pages/valuing_property_pages/valuing_property.html
What is market value?
http://www.pvsc.ca/sub_pages/valuing_property_pages/valuing_property.html
What is the CAP program?
http://www.pvsc.ca/sub_pages/assessment_topics/assessment_topics_main.html
Can I appeal my assessment?
http://www.pvsc.ca/sub_pages/appeal_process/appeal_process_main.html
How do I find out more information about assessments?
Information is available online at Property Assessment Online. If you have other questions or wish to obtain more information about your property assessment, please contact your local PVSC office.