Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa each tax residential properties left empty for much of the year, and each requires owners to declare their property’s status every year, even when they live in it. This page compares the three, from each city’s own pages. It is part of the real estate tax hub. British Columbia also has a provincial speculation and vacancy tax, and the federal Underused Housing Tax no longer applies from 2025.
The three taxes side by side
| Toronto Vacant Home Tax | Vancouver Empty Homes Tax | Ottawa Vacant Unit Tax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate | 3% of Current Value Assessment (since 2024) | 3% of assessed taxable value (2025 reference year) | 1% of assessed value in the first vacant year, rising to a maximum of 5% |
| Vacant if | Vacant 6 months or more in the year | Not occupied for at least 6 months of the year | Unoccupied more than 184 days in the previous year |
| Declaration deadline | April 30 | February 3, 2026 (for the 2025 year) | the third Thursday in March (March 19, 2026) |
| No declaration | Assumed vacant and billed | Deemed vacant and taxed, plus a $250 by-law ticket | Deemed vacant and taxed |
| False declaration | Fine of up to $10,000 plus the tax | Fines of up to $10,000 per day of the continuing offence, plus the tax | See the City’s page |
Deadlines move from year to year; check the city’s page before declaring.
On a hypothetical home assessed at $1,000,000 that is vacant all year with no exemption:
| City | Tax for the year |
|---|---|
| Toronto | $30,000 |
| Vancouver | $30,000 |
| Ottawa, first vacant year | $10,000 |
| Ottawa, at the maximum rate | $50,000 |
Each figure is the assessed value times the city’s rate.
Toronto Vacant Home Tax
Toronto's Vacant Home Tax is 3% of the Current Value Assessment of a residential property that was vacant for 6 months or more in the taxation year: every residential owner declares the property's status each year, even if they live in it, and a property with no declaration by April 30 is assumed vacant and billed.- A home counts as occupied if it is the owner's principal residence for at least 6 months of the year, even if the owner is away for long periods for travel or work.
- It also counts as occupied if tenants or business tenants with written agreements of at least 30 days occupy it for a total of at least 6 months, or family or friends live there as their principal residence for at least 6 months.
Toronto’s exemptions include the death of an owner, a principal resident in care, major renovations, a sale that closed in the year and a court order. The full conditions and the payment schedule are on our Toronto Vacant Home Tax page.
Vancouver Empty Homes Tax
Vancouver's Empty Homes Tax (also called the Vacancy Tax) is a City of Vancouver tax on residential property declared, deemed or determined empty for the year: owners declare each year, and a property that wasn't a principal residence or rented out for at least 6 months of the year, and doesn't qualify for an exemption, is taxed at a percentage of its assessed taxable value (3% for the 2025 reference year). The tax started in 2017 and is imposed under the Vacancy Tax By-law No. 11674. Only one declaration is needed for each property each year.
- A property isn't taxed if it was a principal residence of the owner, a family member, a friend or another permitted occupier for at least 6 months of the year.
- Nor if it was rented for residential purposes for at least 6 months of the year, in periods of 30 or more consecutive days.
- The exemptions are: death of a registered owner, redevelopment or major renovations, owner in care, occupancy for full-time employment, transfer of the property, a court order, limited-use residential property, vacant new inventory, hazardous or damaged property, and a secondary residence for medical reasons. Evidence is requested only if the property is audited.
- Not declaring by the deadline brings a $250 by-law ticket, and the property is deemed vacant and taxed.
For the 2025 year, the declaration was due February 3, 2026 and the tax April 16, 2026. An owner who misses the declaration deadline can pay a non-refundable 5% penalty on the tax to declare later, and unpaid tax carries a 5% late payment penalty and daily interest, like property tax. Sources: the City of Vancouver’s Empty Homes Tax, evidence and exemptions and enforcement and penalties pages (archived copies; vancouver.ca blocks automated checks).
It is separate from B.C.'s speculation and vacancy tax: an owner in Vancouver declares for each tax separately and may owe both. See the B.C. speculation and vacancy tax.
Ottawa Vacant Unit Tax
Ottawa's Vacant Unit Tax applies to a residential property that wasn't used as a principal residence and was unoccupied for more than 184 days in the previous calendar year: every residential owner declares each year, a property with no declaration is deemed vacant, and the tax is a percentage of assessed value that starts at 1% and rises with each additional consecutive vacant year.- A property isn't taxed if it was a principal residence of the owner, a family member, a friend or another permitted occupant for at least 6 months of the year, or occupied by tenants for at least 184 days in periods of at least 30 days, or if it qualifies for an exemption.
- The rate is 1% of assessed value for the first vacant year and goes up 1 point for each additional consecutive vacant year, to a maximum of 5%; it resets to 1% after one year of occupancy.
- Owners declare between January and the Interim Tax due date, the third Thursday in March, with one declaration for each property; a property with no declaration is deemed vacant.
- Only properties in the residential tax class are covered, not commercial, industrial or multi-residential properties.
The tax is added to the Final Tax Bill, due the third Thursday of June. The City lists its exemptions and its appeal process on its Vacant Unit Tax pages (archived copy; ottawa.ca blocks automated checks).
A hypothetical Ottawa property left vacant several years in a row, rate by consecutive vacant year (each year adds the step to the year before):
| Consecutive vacant year | Rate |
|---|---|
| First | 1% |
| Second | 2% |
| Third | 3% |
| Later years | Up 1 point a year, to a maximum of 5% |
After one year of occupancy the rate goes back to 1%.
Related pages
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 25, 2026 and October 1, 2026. How we check facts.
- Canada Revenue Agency: Introduction to the Underused Housing Tax
- City of Toronto: Vacant Home Tax – City of Toronto
- Government of British Columbia: How the speculation and vacancy tax works
- Internet Archive: Empty Homes Tax | City of Vancouver
- Internet Archive: How it works - Understanding the Vacant Unit Tax | City of Ottawa
- Internet Archive: Evidence and exemptions - Empty Homes Tax | City of Vancouver
- Internet Archive: Declare property status - Vacant Unit Tax | City of Ottawa
- Internet Archive: Empty Homes Tax enforcement and penalties | City of Vancouver