Property Tax Calculator

How Property Tax Works in Canada

Property tax is calculated by multiplying a property’s assessed value by the municipal tax rate, commonly referred to as the mill rate. In Ontario, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) determines property assessments based on the estimated market value as of a fixed valuation date. British Columbia uses BC Assessment, while other provinces have their own assessment authorities. Assessments are typically updated every four years in Ontario, though actual market values may shift significantly between updates.

Tax rates vary widely by municipality. Toronto’s residential rate is among the lowest in Ontario at roughly 0.77%, but its high property values still produce substantial tax bills. Cities like Ottawa (1.23%), Winnipeg (1.32%) and Hamilton (1.5%) apply much higher rates to generally lower assessed values. The total tax bill depends on the interplay between rate and assessment—a low rate on an expensive home can produce a higher bill than a high rate on a modestly valued property.

Residential Property Tax on a $600,000 Assessment by City (2026)

If you believe your assessment is inaccurate, you can file a Request for Reconsideration with your provincial assessment authority within the designated filing period. Property taxes fund municipal services including roads, transit, police, fire services, parks, and waste collection. Some provinces offer property tax deferral programs for seniors and low-income homeowners, and Ontario’s Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant provides up to $500 for eligible residents aged 64 and older.

What Changed for 2026

• Calgary’s combined residential rate is about 0.665%.For 2026 it is made up of a 0.389% municipal portion and a 0.276% provincial portion — a useful reminder that the “property tax rate” on your bill is really two levies added together.
• The big-city spread is almost five-fold.Among the cities in this calculator, combined 2026 residential rates run from 0.31% in Vancouver to 1.5% in Hamilton. On a $600,000 assessment that is $1,860 versus $9,000 a year — a $7,140 difference on the same value.
• Low-rate cities are not low-tax cities. Toronto (0.77%) and Vancouver (0.31%) keep the lowest rates because their assessment bases are so large; Ottawa (1.23%), Winnipeg (1.32%) and Hamilton (1.5%) sit at the other end. What you actually pay depends on your assessment as much as the rate.
• A rising assessment still does not automatically raise your bill.Cities recalibrate rates each year to collect their budgeted revenue. If your assessed value rises in line with the city-wide average, your share — and your bill — stays roughly flat; it is above-average increases (or a bigger municipal budget) that push bills up.
• Relief programs continue.Property tax deferral programs for seniors and low-income homeowners remain available in several provinces, and Ontario’s Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant still provides up to $500 a year.

Worked Example: A $600,000 Assessment in Toronto vs Hamilton

The calculation itself is a single multiplication — assessed value × rate — which is exactly what this calculator does. Take a home assessed at $600,000. In Toronto, at the 0.77% combined residential rate, the annual tax is $600,000 × 0.0077 = $4,620 — $385 per month, or $12.66 a day. In Hamilton, at 1.5%, the same assessment produces $600,000 × 0.015 = $9,000— $750 per month, or $24.66 a day. Identical value, $4,380 more per year, purely because of the rate.

Another way to read the rate: 0.77% means $7.70 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value, and 1.5% means $15.00 per $1,000. That framing is where the term “mill rate” comes from — historically the tax was quoted in mills, or dollars per $1,000. Whichever way it is quoted, the two inputs that matter are the assessment on your notice and the current-year combined rate your municipality publishes.

One caution: use your assessedvalue, not your purchase price. Assessments are tied to a valuation date that can lag the market, so a home bought for $750,000 may carry a $600,000 assessment — and the tax is levied on the $600,000. Enter the value from your assessment notice, then pick one of the sample city rates or type your own municipality’s rate to estimate the bill; for the exact current-year figure, check the rate published on your city’s website.