HOME OWNER GRANT INFORMATION

The Home Owner Grant (HOG) is a provincial program that helps reduce the amount of residential property tax you pay. For further detailed information on the Provincial Home Owner Grant, please go to their website.  Be sure to apply each year

If you are eligible for the grant, the Province of BC reduces your taxes by the amount of the grant.

You must apply for your Home Owner Grant each year by the July due date listed on your property tax notice in order to avoid penalties.

You still need to claim your grant if you are paying your taxes through your mortgage, the Pre Authorized Payment Plan (PAPP) or through the tax Deferment Program. Even if you cannot pay the balance of your taxes, you may still submit a grant application to our District Office in order to receive its benefit.

NEW FOR 2019

HOG APPLICATION FORMS
Changes were made to the Home Owner Grant (HOG) application form to enable larger font, better information and instructions.  Please make sure to read both sides of the form before signing. 
   
If you plan to claim the HOG online through our website but are dropping off your cheque, you will find a new check box on the paper version of the HOG application form (bottom of the tax notice) which reads ‘I claimed my 20XX HOG online’.

The HOG application now enables a person (agent) to apply on behalf of the homeowner without the homeowner having to prepare a Power of Attorney.  There is no need for the agent to provide proof that they have permission from the homeowner to complete the application, however, must identify themselves as the agent by providing their name and contact phone number on the lines provided.  This option is limited to the HOG application form only and does not give the person authority to act as the agent for any other matters.

ADDITIONAL GRANT
In addition to the previously allowed eligibility criteria for the disability grant, mental impairments are now specifically outlined as being included.  Please visit the HOG Branch website for specific eligibility criteria.

The following other changes have taken place:  receipts no longer have to be kept for 6 years once they are filed with the collector; the cost for assistance in the home can be an average of at least $150/mth; the assistance no longer needs to be ongoing it can be intermittent; costs for assistance or modifications can be reimbursed by a third party or paid for by the person with disabilities.  A Form B has to be completed by the applicant and a Health Professional, and brought to the District Office.  Note that forms can now be completed by a registered Psychologist or Occupational Therapist.

Are you eligible for the grant?

If you own the property and it is your principal residence, you may qualify for the Home Owner Grant (HOG). Please see the link below on the HOG Branch Website to learn more about eligibility, Read the explanatory notes on the Home Owner Grant and eligibility

Apply for the grant correctly to avoid unnecessary penalties

If you qualify for the grant, but do not complete the application correctly/completely, your grant cannot be processed, therefore….

a) The District will not receive the grant money from the provincial government, and
b) Your property tax account will show an unpaid amount.

You will be charged a 5% penalty on the outstanding property tax balance after 4:00 pm on July 4 and another 5% after 4:00 pm on September 1. In addition, if there is still a balance owing on 1 January of the following year, daily interest will be charged to your tax account at a % rate set by the Province.

Note:  Column A lists the gross tax levy.  If claiming a grant, Columns B and C on the tax notice reflect the two (2) possible grant categories being under 65 and 65+ over, respectively.

How to claim your home owner grant

To claim your home owner grant, you can:

• Claim your grant online through ONLINE SERVICES on our homepage.
• Mail your claim to the District of Highlands, 1980 Millstream Road, Victoria, BC, V9B 6H1
• Bring your claim in person to the front counter of the District Office - 
  Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm 
• Drop off the paper claim in the secure mail box in the front door of the District Office after hours

Sending your grant by the due date is not enough - the District Office must receive your grant by the due date.

Forgot to claim last year’s Home Owner Grant
Unclaimed Home Owner Grants (HOGs) can only be claimed for one (1) previous year. Retroactive HOGs must be applied for using the RETROACTIVE HOG FORM (FIN 92) and MUST be received at the District Office prior to December 31 of the current year. Any Retroactive HOG application received after December 31 of the current year will not be accepted.

New owners
If you are a new owner looking to claim a Home Owner Grant and you have not claimed a HOG elsewhere for that year, you will need to do two (2) things:

1. Make sure that there is still some amount of the taxes still owing, since you cannot claim a grant if the vendor paid the taxes in full. 
2. Visit the District Office in person with your Form A - Freehold Transfer Form, since your name may not yet be in our system. This is a form that you would have received from your lawyer or notary when you purchased the property.

Home Owner Grant Threshold
Did you know the Province adjusts the Home Owner Grant threshold most years?

The grant threshold is $1,650,000. You may be able to claim the full grant amount if your property has an assessed or partitioned value of $1,650,000 or less.

If you meet all requirements but your property’s assessed or partitioned value is over $1,650,000, you may qualify for the grant at a reduced amount.

The grant is reduced by $5 for each $1,000 of assessed value over $1,650,000. This means the grant isn’t available for properties assessed over $1,764,000 ($1,804,000 in a northern and rural area).

Additional Information

If you have concerns about the threshold change, please contact the Province's Home Owner Grant Administration Branch:

• Email: hogadmin@gov.bc.ca
• Call: 1-888-355-2700
• Website: www.gov.bc.ca/propertytaxes