Homeowners will now apply directly to the provincial government for their property tax grant and not go through their municipalities.
Annual tax notices will continue to be sent by municipalities but will include a link to the Province's online grant application.
Homeowners should apply once they receive their property tax notice. If they have not yet applied for their 2020 grant, they can do so retroactively now at: https://gov.bc.ca/homeownergrant.
The intent is to make the process quicker and easier, finance minister Selina Robinson said Tuesday in announcing the change.
"By administering the grant centrally, we'll make the process simpler for people and less of a burden for local governments," she said in a statement. "With this change, we can provide all British Columbians a secure online application and access to services, such as phone-based support, while removing the need for them to go to their municipal office."
Previously, local governments administered the program in municipalities and the Province administered the rural grant program. Union of BC Municipalities president Brian Frenkel welcomed the change.
"For more than a year, local government and Ministry of Finance staff have been working together to ensure the smooth transition of this program to the provincial government," he said in the statement. "This change will provide administrative improvements requested by local government."
