Thank you to everyone who signed up and participated in the in Vacant Unit Tax (VUT) information session that my office held, this past Wednesday evening, in conjunction with City of Ottawa Revenue staff. If you missed the meeting and are interested in watching the presentation that was provided by staff, you can visit my YouTube channel here to access the recording. You can also access just the slide presentation here.
The VUT is a tax on vacant residential units. A by-law will be approved by City Council later this spring. The residential vacant unit tax will encourage homeowners to maintain, occupy or rent their properties, thereby increasing the housing supply. This is one of the tools the City of Ottawa is using to address the affordable housing crisis in the City of Ottawa, and revenue from this tax will be used to support affordable housing initiatives.
Residential homeowners are required to declare the occupancy of their properties annually.
The tax does not apply to, but a declaration is still required for:
- Principal Residence
- Tenanted properties
- Properties occupied by a family member, friend, or other resident using it as their principal residence
- Properties qualifying for one of the available exemptions
Vacant properties will be subject to a tax of 1% of the property’s assessed value. Net revenue from this tax will be used to support affordable housing initiatives.
If you have any questions about the VUT you may find an answer under FAQs on the City of Ottawa website here.
Note: Declarations are not required until 2023.
