Property Taxes

Property taxes provide the Municipality with the funds required to deliver many day-to-day services and programs. Your property taxes are determined by multiplying the current value or "assessment" of your property by the annual tax rate for the property type or "property class". The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has created a helpful video to explain how property tax is calculated

To learn more about the assessment process, please see our property assessments page

Bluewater issues two tax bills annually. Each billing is split into two installment due dates. The interim tax bill due dates are February 28th and May 31st. The interim tax bill is based on 50% of the prior year's taxes. Interim tax bills are mailed out in early February.  

The final tax bill due dates are September 30th and November 30th. Final tax bills are mailed out in early September. Final taxes are calculated using your property assessment multiplied by the applicable tax rate for the class of property as shown on the tax billing, less what was levied on the interim billing.

There are a variety of payment options available. 

2022 Tax Rates

Tax rates are adopted by by-law. To request a copy of the by-law, please contact the tax clerk

Tax Classes and Descriptions OPP General County Education Total
RT Residential 0.00081686 0.00373779 0.00470373 0.00153000 0.01078838
R1 Residential Farmland 0.00020422 0.00093445 0.00117593 0.00038250 0.00269710
MT Multi-Residential 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00153000 0.01171423
CT Commercial 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
XT Commercial, new construction 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
CU-Excess 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
CX-Vacant 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
IT-Industrial 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
JT-Industrial, new construction 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
JU-Excess, new construction 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
IU-Excess 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
IX-Vacant 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00880000 0.01898423
HF-Landfill 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00677916 0.01696339
PT-Pipeline 0.00057181 0.00261645 0.00329261 0.00458716 0.01106803
FT-Farmlands 0.0020422 0.00093455 0.00117593 0.00038250 0.00269710
TT-Managed Forest 0.00020422 0.00093445 0.00117593 0.00038250 0.00269710

Payment in lieu (PIL)

PIL Class and Description OPP General County Education Total
CF-Commercial PIL: Full 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00980000 0.01998423
CG-Commercial PIL: General 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 N/A 0.01018423
HF-Landfill PIL: Full 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00677916 0.01696339
IH-Industrial PIL: Full 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00980000 0.01998423
IJ-Industrial PIL: Vacant Land 0.00089855 0.00411157 0.00517411 0.00980000 0.01998423

Street Light Rates (Residential)

System Rate
Bachand street lights 0.00032748
Bayfield street lights 0.00017498
Bayview street lights 0.00011596
Brucefield street lights 0.00102203
Dashwood street lights 0.00057447
Dinsley Terrace street lights 0.00022085
Hensall street lights 0.00028247
Harris street lights 0.00030468
Kippen street lights 0.00112909
Lakewood street lights 0.00017757
Varna street lights 0.00031621
Zurich street lights 0.00040031

Prior years' tax rates can be found in these by-laws:

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