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 29th 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.
Tax rates
Tax rates are adopted by by-law. To request a copy of current or past-years' by-laws, please contact the tax clerk.
This table shows the 2023 tax rates for residential, new multi-residential and multi-residential properties.
Category | Lower general | OPP special levy | Upper general | Education | Education payment in lieu of taxes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Residential occupied | 0.00409275 | 0.00079561 | 0.00500913 | 0.00153000 | Not applicable |
Residential FAD Phase 1 | 0.00102319 | 0.00019890 | 0.00125228 | 0.00038250 | Not applicable |
New multi-residential occupied | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00153000 | Not applicable |
Multi-residential occupied | 0.0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00153000 | Not applicable |
This table shows the residential tax rates for street lights.
Street Light System | Residential-Occupied | Residential-FAD Phase 1 | New multi-residential-occupied | Multi-residential-occupied |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bachand | 0.00032748 | 0.00008187 | 0.00036023 | 0.00036023 |
Bayfield | 0.00017103 | 0.00004276 | 0.00018813 | 0.00018813 |
Bayview | 0.00011420 | 0.00002855 | 0.00012562 | 0.00012562 |
Brucefield | 0.00102203 | 0.00025551 | 0.00112423 | 0.00112423 |
Dashwood | 0.00057158 | 0.00014290 | 0.00062874 | 0.00062874 |
Dinsley Terrace | 0.00021123 | 0.00005281 | 0.00023235 | 0.00023235 |
Harris | 0.00030452 | 0.00007613 | 0.00033497 | 0.00033497 |
Hensall | 0.00027951 | 0.00006988 | 0.00030746 | 0.00030746 |
Kippen | 0.00112909 | 0.00028227 | 0.00124200 | 0.00124200 |
Lakewood | 0.00017451 | 0.00004363 | 0.00019196 | 0.00019196 |
Varna | 0.00031205 | 0.00007801 | 0.00034326 | 0.00034326 |
Zurich | 0.00039694 | 0.00009924 | 0.00043663 | 0.00043663 |
This table shows the 2023 tax rates for different categories of commercial properties.
Category | Lower general | OPP special levy | Upper general | Education | Education payment in lieu of taxes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Occupied | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00880000 | 0.00980000 |
Excess land | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.008800000 | 0.00980000 |
Vacant land | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00880000 | 0.00980000 |
On-farm business 1 | 0.00112551 | 0.00021879 | 0.00137751 | 0.00220000 | Not applicable |
On-farm business 2 | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00220000 | Not applicable |
This table shows the commercial tax rates for street lights.
Street Light System | Occupied | Excess land | Vacant land | On-farm business 1 | On-farm business 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bachand | 0.00036023 | 0.00036023 | 0.00036023 | 0.00009006 | 0.00036023 |
Bayfield | 0.00018813 | 0.00018813 | 0.00018813 | 0.00004703 | 0.00018813 |
Bayview | 0.00012562 | 0.00012562 | 0.00012562 | 0.00003141 | 0.00012562 |
Brucefield | 0.00112423 | 0.00112423 | 0.00112423 | 0.00028106 | 0.00112423 |
Dashwood | 0.00062874 | 0.00062874 | 0.00062874 | 0.00015718 | 0.00062874 |
Dinsley Terrace | 0.00023235 | 0.00023235 | 0.00023235 | 0.00005809 | 0.00023235 |
Harris | 0.00033497 | 0.00033497 | 0.00033497 | 0.00008374 | 0.00033497 |
Hensall | 0.00030746 | 0.00030746 | 0.00030746 | 0.00007687 | 0.00030746 |
Kippen | 0.00124200 | 0.00124200 | 0.00124200 | 0.00031050 | 0.00124200 |
Lakewood | 0.00019196 | 0.00019196 | 0.00019196 | 0.00004799 | 0.00019196 |
Varna | 0.00034326 | 0.00034326 | 0.00034326 | 0.00008581 | 0.00034326 |
Zurich | 0.00043663 | 0.00043663 | 0.00043663 | 0.00010916 | 0.00043663 |
This table shows the 2023 tax rates for different categories of industrial properties.
Category | Lower general | OPP special levy | Upper general | Education | Education payment in lieu of taxes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Occupied | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00880000 | 0.00980000 |
Excess land | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00880000 | 0.00980000 |
Vacant land | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00880000 | 0.00980000 |
On-farm business 1 | 0.00112551 | 0.00021879 | 0.00137751 | 0.00220000 | Not applicable |
On-farm business 2 | 0.00450203 | 0.0087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00220000 | Not applicable |
FAD phase 1 | 0.00409275 | 0.00079561 | 0.00125228 | 0.00038250 | 0.00038250 |
This table shows the industrial tax rates for street lights.
Street Light System | Occupied | Excess land | Vacant land | On-farm business 1 | On-farm business 2 | FAD phase 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bachand | 0.00036023 | 0.00036023 | 0.00036023 | 0.00009006 | 0.00036023 | 0.00032748 |
Bayfield | 0.00018813 | 0.00018813 | 0.00018813 | 0.00004703 | 0.00018813 | 0.00017103 |
Bayview | 0.00012562 | 0.00012562 | 0.00012562 | 0.00003141 | 0.00012562 | 0.00011420 |
Brucefield | 0.00112423 | 0.00112423 | 0.00112423 | 0.00028106 | 0.00112423 | 0.00102203 |
Dashwood | 0.00062874 | 0.00062874 | 0.00062874 | 0.00015718 | 0.00062874 | 0.00057158 |
Dinsley Terrace | 0.00023235 | 0.00023235 | 0.00023235 | 0.00005809 | 0.00023235 | 0.00021123 |
Harris | 0.00033497 | 0.00033497 | 0.00033497 | 0.00008374 | 0.00033497 | 0.00030452 |
Hensall | 0.00030746 | 0.00030746 | 0.00030746 | 0.00007687 | 0.00030746 | 0.00027951 |
Kippen | 0.00124200 | 0.00124200 | 0.00124200 | 0.00031050 | 0.00124200 | 0.00112909 |
Lakewood | 0.00019196 | 0.00019196 | 0.00019196 | 0.00004799 | 0.00019196 | 0.00017451 |
Varna | 0.00034326 | 0.00034326 | 0.00034326 | 0.00008581 | 0.00034326 | 0.00031205 |
Zurich | 0.00043663 | 0.00043663 | 0.00043663 | 0.00010916 | 0.00043663 | 0.00039694 |
This table shows the 2023 tax rates for occupied landfills, pipelines, farm, and managed forests.
Category | Lower general | OPP special levy | Upper general | Education | Education payment in lieu of taxes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Landfills-occupied | 0.00450203 | 0.00087517 | 0.00551004 | 0.00677916 | 0.00677916 |
Pipelines-occupied | 0.00286493 | 0.00055693 | 0.00350639 | 0.00458716 | 0.00458716 |
Farm-occupied | 0.00102319 | 0.00019890 | 0.00125228 | 0.00038250 | Not applicable |
Managed forests-occupied | 0.00102319 | 0.00019890 | 0.00125228 | 0.00038250 | Not applicable |
This table shows the landfill, pipeline, farm and managed forest tax rates for street lights.
Street Light System | Landfills-occupied | Pipelines-occupied | Farm-occupied | Managed forests-occupied |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bachand | 0.00036023 | 0.00022924 | 0.00008187 | 0.00008187 |
Bayfield | 0.00018813 | 0.00011972 | 0.00004276 | 0.00004276 |
Bayview | 0.00012562 | 0.00007994 | 0.00002855 | 0.00002855 |
Brucefield | 0.00112423 | 0.00071542 | 0.00025551 | 0.00025551 |
Dashwood | 0.00062874 | 0.00040011 | 0.00014290 | 0.00014290 |
Dinsley Terrace | 0.00023235 | 0.00014786 | 0.00005281 | 0.00005281 |
Harris | 0.00033497 | 0.00021316 | 0.00007613 | 0.00007613 |
Hensall | 0.00030746 | 0.00019566 | 0.00006988 | 0.00006988 |
Kippen | 0.00124200 | 0.00079036 | 0.00028227 | 0.00028227 |
Lakewood | 0.0019196 | 0.00012216 | 0.00004363 | 0.00004363 |
Varna | 0.00034326 | 0.00021844 | 0.00007801 | 0.00007801 |
Zurich | 0.00043663 | 0.00027786 | 0.00009924 | 0.00009924 |
These tables show the tax rates for 2022.
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 |
Municipality of Bluewater
14 Mill Avenue
ZURICH, ON
N0M 2T0
Phone: 519-236-4351
or 1-877-236-4351
Fax: 519-236-4329
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