Property Taxes

Tax due dates

The City of Port Colborne issues property tax bills for all properties two times per year. There are 4 installments.

Information regarding your taxes, including due dates are on your tax bill.

Upon default of any tax installment interest at a rate of 1.25% per month is added on the first day of each month thereafter.

Tax payments must be received at the Municipal Office City Hall on or before the due date.

* Failure to receive a bill does not excuse the taxpayer from the responsibility for payment of taxes and penalty.

Interim taxes

The interim tax bill is mailed out by February 7, 2024.

• 1st Tax Due Date is the last business day of February 28, 2024
• 2nd Tax Due Date is the last business day of April 29, 2024

* The interim tax bill is based on 50% of your previous year's taxes.

Final taxes

The final tax bill is mailed out by the third week of June 2024.

• 3rd Tax Due Date is July 17, 2024
• 4th Tax Due Date is September 27, 2024

* The final billing is calculated (Assessment x Tax Rate) minus the interim billing amount. 

Tax rate By-law

2024 Tax Rates

2023 Tax Rates

2022 Tax Rates

2021 Tax Rates

By-law No. 6994/32/22 – Being a By-law to Set and Levy the Rates of Taxation for City Purposes for the Year 2023

Tax calculator

The tax calculator provides an estimated amount of property tax you will pay and the distribution of your City of Port Colborne taxes.

The City of Port Colborne tax bill containing your final tax amount may differ from numbers in this calculator.

Tax sales

The City of Port Colborne, as permitted by the Municipal Act, 2001, may sell a property to recover for unpaid property taxes once the taxes are two years in arrears.

The City will advertise all tax sale properties on this page and in the local newspaper.

Visit Ontario Tax Sales website for tax sale information.

Tax certificates

Tax Certificates are available by request at a cost of $52.00.

*If required: Municipal Drain certificates $26.00

Mail your tax certificate request to:

City of Port Colborne

Tax Department

66 Charlotte Street

Port Colborne, ON L3K 3C8

E-Billing – Go to paperless billing

Sign up for E-Billing by completing the online application form.

By credit card

The City of Port Colborne accepts Visa, MasterCard and Amex payments via Paymentus, a third party automated payment service. Credit card payments can only be made online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A convenience fee is charged on each transaction.

The convenience fee charges are as follows:

There are two ways to pay by Credit Card:

1. To pay by phone please call Customer Service at 905-835-2900 during regular business hours.
2. To pay online please visit the Paymentus online payment portal.

Payments made by Visa, MasterCard and Amex are processed the next business day. Please ensure that your payment is made one business day before the due date to avoid any late payment charges.

In person

You can pay your property taxes in person at the cashier counter on the first floor of City Hall in Port Colborne located at 66 Charlotte Street.

We accept cash, debit, cheques, bank drafts or money orders.

Hours of Operation

Monday to Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed on all statutory holidays)

By mail

Make your cheque payable to the City of Port Colborne and mail to:

City of Port Colborne

66 Charlotte Street

Port Colborne, ON

L3K 3C8

• Include the tax payment stub to ensure payment is applied to your account
• Write your tax roll number on your cheque.
• US cheques are accepted and we apply the exchange rate the day it is received.

To avoid late fees, please ensure your payment reaches us by the installment due date.

After-hours drop box

There is a 24 hour mail drop slot located at the front of City Hall.

Make your cheque payable to the City of Port Colborne.

• Include the tax payment stub to ensure payment is applied to your account
• Write your tax roll number on your cheque.
• Post dated cheques are accepted and processed on the due date.

No cash payments please.

Financial institution

You can make your tax payment in person at any branch or ATM at all banks or other financial institutions.

On-line/telephone banking

Pay your taxes through on-line/telephone banking, by adding The City of Port Colborne as a payee. Your account number is your 15 digit roll number located on your property tax bill (no dashes or spaces).

Mortgage Company

Contact your mortgage lender to set up tax payments to be included with your mortgage.

Pre-authorized payment plans

For your convenience, set up pre-authorized automatic withdrawals from your bank account to pay your taxes.

The City offers two Pre-authorized payment plan options:

Monthly plan

Payments are withdrawn 12 times per year from January to December.

• The tax payment is withdrawn on the first of each month.
• The tax department will send a confirmation letter to confirm the amount of your monthly tax payment.

Installment plan – Due date

Payments are withdrawn 4 times per year on the installment due date.

Complete the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Application Form. 

Complete the Pre-Authorized Account Change Form to cancel the Pre-Authorized Plan or if your banking information has changed.

Cancellation or refund of taxes

Under the Municipal Act, 2001 Section 357 & 358 this provides the authority for the City Treasurer to cancel, reduce or refund all or part of taxes levied on land in the year, when an application is made.

You can apply to the City of Port Colborne to request a reduction, cancellation or refund of your taxes under the following circumstances:

• Your property cannot be used for at least three months during the year because of repairs or renovations.
• If the use of your property has changed since the last assessment. For example: from commercial to industrial use.
• Your property has been granted exemption after the last assessment.
• Your property has been destroyed or damaged by fire.
• Your property has been demolished.
• There has been a “gross or manifest error” that was clerical in your assessment.
• You are unable to pay taxes due to sickness or extreme poverty.
• If the mobile unit on the land was removed during the year or during the previous year after the return of assessment for the previous year.

How to apply

Complete the Tax Adjustment Application Form, giving the reasons for your appeal.

Contact the Tax Department for deadlines.

Send your completed application by:

• Email the City of Port Colborne tax clerk

• Mail to the City of Port Colborne, 66 Charlotte Street, Port Colborne, ON L3K 3C8
• Fax to the City of Port Colborne at 905-834-5746
• In person at Port Colborne City Hall, 66 Charlotte Street on the first floor. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m (closed on all statutory holidays)

Next steps

The City will review your application for cancellation, reduction or refund of property taxes and determine your eligibility.

1. The City will send your application to MPAC to obtain the related assessment information.
2. Once we receive the assessment information from MPAC, the City will calculate the tax adjustment if applicable.
3. A Notice of Hearing will be sent to you about your tax adjustment. Information about the date and time of the Council Meeting.
4. The City will mail a Notice of Decision after the Council Meeting.
5. Under section 357 of the Municipal Act, if you disagree with Council's decision, your can file an appeal with the Assessment Review Board (ARB).
6. Under section 358 of the Municipal Act, Council decisions are final.

Regional Tax relief programs

Visit the Niagara Region Property Tax Relief Programs to learn about these various programs.

• Ontario Senior Homeowner's Property Tax Grant
• Low-Income Seniors and Low-Income Disabled Persons
• Homes Built for People with Disabilities
• Registered Charities and Similar Organizations
• Heritage Properties
• Farmland Waiting for Development

Each of the programs, criteria, and application forms are available on Niagara Region's website.