Property Taxes

Through your financial institution:

Pay online, by phone or in person at your financial institution. Please contact your local financial institution for information on the availability of these payment options.

• When paying your property taxes through your financial institution please follow these instructions:
• Login to your online banking
• Search for payee "Lake Country"
• Select "Lake Country District (Taxes or Property Taxes)" or similar
• Enter your folio number from the front of your property tax notice
  • Examples on how to enter your folio as an account number are as follows. If your folio found on your property tax notice is 01234.567, you could try entering the account number:
    • By removing the decimal (example: 01234567)
    • By removing the decimal and adding one zero (example: 001234567)
    • By removing the decimal and adding two zeros (example: 0001234567)
    • By removing the decimal and adding three zeros (example: 00001234567)
  • If the above suggestions do not work, please contact your financial institution.
• Allow enough time for your payment to be received by the District by the due date.
• Allow 3-5 business days for the District to process the online payment and then check your MyLakeCountry account to confirm that the payment has been received.

Note: Folio numbers are attached to the property and not to the owner. If you have recently purchased or sold a property you need to update your banking records with your new folio number.

Pre-authorized prepayment plan

Sign up for the District's Property Tax Prepayment Plan [PDF/733KB] and the District will automatically withdraw monthly prepayments from your bank account. For more information and copies of the authorization form view the pre-authorized prepayment plan form online [PDF/733KB] or visit Municipal Hall (10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road).

By mail:

Mail your payment and the bottom portion of the property tax notice to:

District of Lake Country
10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road
Lake Country, BC
V4V 2M1

In person:

• Use the secure drop box located outside Municipal Hall front entrance.
• Pay in person at Municipal Hall (10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country BC, V4V 2M1).

Mortgage:

If your taxes are paid through your mortgage, you must still claim your home owner grant; if eligible.

Deferment:

BC's property tax deferment program is offered by the Province of BC. Eligible BC residents can now apply online for the program. Property owners will still make outstanding utility payments to the municipality.

Note: If your application is denied, withdrawn or cancelled and the tax due date has passed, you will be required to pay a late penalty charge and interest (if applicable)

If your taxes are paid through deferment, you must still claim your homeowner grant; if eligible.

The District prepares and mails over 7,000 property tax notices annually. All property tax notices are mailed at the end of May/early June.

You can make a payment to your property tax account at any time. You do not need to have received your property tax notice in order to pay your property taxes. You are responsible for paying your taxes even if you have not received your notice. Property owners who have not received their tax notice by the second week of June should check their MyLakeCountry account or contact the District at 250 766 5650.

Property taxes are due the first working day in July.

• Please allow ample time for delivery if you are sending payment by mail or online through a financial institution.
• Postmarks on mailed remittances will not be considered as date of payment.
• The District encourages property owners to provide postdated cheques dated July 2, 2024.
• Payments options are listed in the above section.

A 10% penalty will be applied to all outstanding property tax balances as of July 3, 2024.

• Payments: must be received by the District on or before July 2, 2024. See payment options above.​​​​​​
• Home owner grants: must be received by the Province of British Columbia on or before July 2, 2024.
  • More information about home owner grants

Property owners are responsible to make sure that their property taxes are paid in full. To check the status of your property tax account please sign in to your MyLakeCountry account.

These penalties are a requirement of the Community Charter and the District usually has no authority to either waive or modify the penalty amounts.

Property taxes are for the calendar year January 1st to December 31st.

To find copies of your property tax notice or to confirm your property tax balance visit your MyLakeCountry account.

As per the Community Charter Part 7 Division 12 arrears and delinquent taxes are subject to interest to the date of payment.

BC Assessment's role is to determine the fair market value of properties. Search for your current property assessment.

• Learn how BC Assessment assesses properties .
• What to do when you receive your assessment notice
• Property assessments and property taxes - a not-so complicated relationship

The property assessment is used to determine your share of taxes. Council's role is to determine the amount of taxes required to operate the municipality and set the tax rate. The tax rate is set by bylaw and sets a rate for each class as defined on the BC Assessment Roll. This rate applies to each $1,000 of taxable value of land and improvements.

Each year, Council, during its budgetary process, approves the amount of revenue required to operate the municipality. From this amount they subtract the known revenues, such as grants, licences, permits and so on. The remainder represents the amount of money to be raised by property taxes.

Review: Understanding the assessment process to better understand BC Assessment. 

Find out more about agricultural uses and services that qualify land to be classified as a farm.

The Provincial home owner grant program helps to reduce the amount of residential property taxes that homeowners pay on their primary residence.

If eligible, you must apply for your home owner grant each year through the Province of BC. Penalties will not be levied if home owner grants are not received by the province by the due date. Municipalities do not accept home owner grant applications. Grants are a form of payment towards your property taxes. You do not need to make a payment to claim your home owner grant. Visit gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant or 1 888 355 2700 to apply for your grant or to find out if you are eligible.

Eligible BC residents can apply for the provincial deferment program at gov.bc.ca/propertytaxdeferment or 1 888 355 2700. Property owners must continue to make outstanding utility payments to the District of Lake Country.

Council approves the Tax Rates Bylaw [PDF/138KB] in May of each year. Tax notices are mailed to residents and are due the first working day in July annually. Because the District also serves as the collector for other taxing bodies, your tax notice will show the taxes collected for Provincial Schools, Okanagan Regional Library, Regional Hospital District, Regional District of Central Okanagan and BC Assessment.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 204 of the Community Charter, the District of Lake Country will be holding a Review Panel in regard to parcel tax assessment rolls. Notices have been sent to registered owners of all properties being added to an assessment roll. You may only make a complaint to the Parcel Tax Review Panel on one or more of the following grounds;

• there is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the parcel tax roll;
• there is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;
• there is an error or omission respecting the taxable area or the taxable frontage of a parcel; OR
• an exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

You or your agent must notify the District of Lake Country, in writing, of your complaint. Please address all your correspondence to the attention of the Collector.

On the last Monday of September, the District is required by the Local Government Act to sell at Tax Sale all properties whose taxes have not been paid for 3 years.

The Local Government Act gives the Collector authority to sell a property for the Upset Price which equals all outstanding taxes + penalties + interest + 5% tax sale costs + Land Title Office fees.

Find out more about tax sales

Authorize the District to make changes to your Tax Prepayment Account.

Property Tax Prepayment Authorization for Plan Changes form [PDF/330KB]

The Property Tax Prepayment Plan is an optional payment plan which allows you to make equal monthly prepayments towards next year's property taxes. See the Property Tax Prepayment Plan Form [PDF/733KB].

Property Tax Refund Request

If you are on the Property Tax Prepayment plan, you may apply to receive a refund of your credit balance once your property taxes have been paid. See the Property Tax Refund Request form [PDF/131KB].