Vacancy Tax Considered in Toronto

Owning a home with no one living in it could soon come with a penalty in Toronto.

1 minute read

July 5, 2021, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Toronto

Javen / Shutterstock

"[The Toronto City] Council could impose a one per cent tax on vacant homes at the start of next year as a way to help ease the city’s affordable housing crisis and raise revenue during a looming economic recovery from COVID-19," according to an article by Jennifer Pagliaro.

"Residential property owners would be required to make a declaration each year by the deadline and could be subject to a city audit to verify whether the home is vacant or not," reports Pagliaro.

The city expects a one percent tax to generate between $55 million to $66 million (all figures Canadian dollars) a year, but the main goal of the tax is to reduce the number of vacant properties, contributing to the affordability of the housing stock around the city. The expected revenue figures are modeled on the example of Vancouver, which approved a similar vacancy tax in 2016.

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 in The Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24 - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent