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Delta defers tax sale

The City of Delta is deferring its annual tax sale. Civic politicians voted in favour of the deferral at its Aug. 10 council meeting.
Tax sale

The City of Delta is deferring its annual tax sale.

Civic politicians voted in favour of the deferral at its Aug. 10 council meeting.

According to a staff report, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn has created significant financial uncertainty for many Delta residents.

“At the time of this report, there are approximately 90 properties in Delta with three years of unpaid taxes that will be subject to the tax sale on Sept. 28 unless council passes a bylaw to defer the sale,” said the staff report. “Although the pandemic did not cause the delinquent property taxes, it could impact property owners’ ability to make sufficient payments to avert the tax sale.”

The past four years, the tax sale has had less than three properties being sold in the auction. This is a result of staff efforts for collection prior to the tax sale.

Property owners do have one year to redeem the property in the event council decides to proceed with the 2020 tax sale, however, the economic downturn related to COVID-19 is expected to continue into 2021, which could make redemption challenging for property owners.

According to Delta staff, the total amount of delinquent taxes for the properties currently subject to sale in the 2020 tax sale is approximately $350,000. With the bylaw deferral approved by council, the collection of these taxes would potentially be deferred to 2021.