Property tax breakdown

Total Property Taxes

Like all municipalities, Creston is required to collect taxes for other levels of government in addition to our Municipal Property Taxes. 

Roughly half of the taxes collected are for Town of Creston services and operations. The remainder of the total taxes collected by the Town are for the RDCK, School Tax, Hospital District Taxes, BC Assessment, and Municipal Finance Authority.

Municipal Property Taxes

Municipal property taxes, which account for roughly one third of municipal funding, are combined with the Town’s other funding sources and are allocated to:

  • Public Works, Water, and Sewer
  • General Government
  • Capital Projects
  • Police Services
  • Fire Protection
  • Debt Repayment
  • Development & Planning
  • Bylaw Compliance

Other funding sources include:

  • Utility Rates & Fees
  • Previous Years Reserves & Surplus
  • Fees / Sales of Services
  • Utility Frontage Tax
  • Provincial Grants
  • Federal Grants
  • Other Grants and Funding Sources

Tax Calculation

Property taxes are a main funding source the Town uses to be able to provide the many services that are provided to the public. Taxes to be collected are determined in the Budget. Tax rates are determined by the property value assessed by the BC Assessment Authority and guidelines in the Tax and Revenue Policy contained in the Financial Plan. 


Property Valuation

The BC Assessment Authority is a provincial Crown corporation that determines the market value of all real properties in British Columbia. The assessed value determines what the taxation will be for a property. If you disagree with your assessed value, you have a limited time to appeal to the BC Assessment Authority. Details on how to appeal are included on your assessment notice.  Curious how your property assessment compares to neighbouring properties?  You can search and compare property assessment information across the province at e-valueBC. 

Access Your Account

To access your account, please use the roll account number and the access code noted on the top right-hand corner of your Property Tax Notice. NOTE: You will need to "Login" before you can access your account information. View your Property Tax and Utility Account details online.

Payment Information

Property taxes are due by on the first working day in July, after the July 1st  holiday. Acceptable methods of payments are:  Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) via online or telephone banking, debit, cash, cheque, money order, or Credit Card (additional fees apply).  Payment can be made by mail, online using a credit card (additional fees apply), or through most financial institutions by telephone or online banking. If taxes are paid through your mortgage or financial institution, the Home Owner Grant claim must still be completed and returned to Town Hall, or applied for online before the due date to avoid penalty.

Cheques post-dated to the due date will be accepted at Town Hall. Your cancelled cheque is your receipt. Please note that postmarks on mailed remittances will not be considered as date of payment.

To pay your account by telephone or online banking, you must have previously signed up with your financial institution. To add us as a payee – search for “Creston” and review available options. Unfortunately, this may not be an option for some out-of-province Credit Unions. Questions and concerns regarding the setup need to be directed to your banking institution.

Home Owner Grant

If the property is your principal residence, you may qualify for the Home Owner Grant, which reduces the amount of property tax that you pay. The Home Owner Grant application must be filled out each year in order to receive the grant. Unclaimed Home Owner Grants and balances owing after the due date are subject to a 10% penalty, which is added to current taxes unpaid.

To claim your grant or if you require more information on the Home Owner Grant, including eligibility criteria, refer to the Province of British Columbia website.

Property Tax Deferment

Property Tax Deferment for Seniors, People with Disabilities, and Surviving Spouse of any age

This Property Tax Deferment Program is available for residents of British Columbia who are:

  • home owners 55 years of age or older; 
  • person with disabilities;
  • or a surviving spouse of any age.
To be eligible, you must have at least 25% equity in your home, based on assessed values and meet all other qualifying criteria.


Property Tax Deferment for Families with Children 

This Property Tax Deferment Program is available for residents of British Columbia who are financially supporting a child under certain circumstances.  To be eligible, you must have at least 15% equity in your home, based on assessed values.

Both Property Tax Deferment programs are a low interest loan program that allows you to defer paying all or part of your property taxes on your principal residence if you qualify for the programs.

Changes have been made to the application and inquiry process and as of April 2020 municipalities are no longer able to provide forms or guidance to applicants. For more information about these programs and how to apply, please follow this link to the Province of British Columbia.

Municipal Tax Certificates

Municipal Tax Certificates are available both at Town Hall (fees apply), and online. There are three simple methods to order your Tax Certificates online:

Resource Purchase Method Steps
Access Point Information Canada Ltd. Credit Card 1. Go to www.apicanada.com
2. Register and log onto TCOL
3. Enter the PID and place order
4. Register
Land Titles and Survey Authority myLTSA Deposit Account 1. Go to https://ltsa.ca
2. Log into your myLTSA account
3. Select TCOL and order