Pre-Authorized Debit Plan (PAD Plan)

The City of Owen Sound currently offers 2 Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) Plans as convenient ways for you to pay your property taxes. Benefits of enrolling in one of our PAD Plans include:

• The elimination of postage cost and/or the expense and inconvenience of delivering payments to our office.
• No worrying about missing due dates or incurring late payment charges.
• No more standing in long line-ups.
• No service charges or fees to participate in any of our PAD plans.
• Our "Monthly Budget" PAD plans allow you to budget and pay your property taxes over a 12 month period.
• Once registered in one of our PAD plans, your enrolment in subsequent years will be automatic.
• Properties in ALL Tax Classes can be enrolled in any of our PAD plans.

To be eligible to enroll in any of our PAD plans: 

• There must be no outstanding arrears on your tax account; and
• Your taxes must not be included with your mortgage payments and paid by your mortgage company.

To enroll in one of our PAD plans, complete our online form or print and sign our pre-authorized debit plan PDF and return to us with an unsigned blank cheque marked VOID. Please complete forms a minimum of 10 business days prior to a scheduled payment.

Plan Options

Option 1: Installment Plan (4 payments per year)

If this plan is selected, the full amount of each tax installment is the amount that is withdrawn from a participant's bank account on the instalment date (four times per year).

Option 2: Monthly Plan (12 payments per year)

Our '12 Month Budget' PAD Plan allows your property taxes to be paid over 12 months (January to December).

• Your 12 monthly payments will be due on the 15th of every month.
• Your January to June monthly payments will be based on your previous year's tax levy plus an additional 3% (the extra amount allows for an anticipated tax increase for the current year).
• You will be notified in June or early July what your remaining six payment amounts will be, as your July through December monthly payments will be adjusted to reflect any change in your current year's total tax levy.
• In December a letter will be mailed to our 'Monthly Budget' PAD Plan participants advising them what their next year's January to June monthly payments will be.

Returned payments (i.e. NSF) are subject to a $45 charge.

FAQ

What if I have a returned payment? 

A Returned Item Notification will be sent advising of any payment that is dishonoured (for any reason) and returned by your financial institution. Your replacement payment will include an administration fee and a 1.25% penalty charge.

If your replacement payment is not received by the specified date requested, your next instalment withdrawal amount will include our requested replacement amount (plus any additional penalty charges incurred) as well as your next payment amount.

Subscribers to any of our PAD plans who have two payments returned during a tax year may become ineligible to continue on their plan, and will be subject to our standard penalty and interest charges for late payment of 1.25% per month until paid.

What if I sell my house and buy another house? 

Our pre-authorized debit (PAD) plans are NON-TRANSFERABLE.

When you sell your home and purchase another home you must do two things:

1. Firstly, YOU MUST withdraw from your existing plan by notifying our Tax Department in writing at least 10 DAYS BEFORE the closing date of the sale of your home; and
2. Secondly, YOU MUST complete a new application for the new home that you are purchasing.

Upon cancellation from any of our PAD Plans, all unpaid taxes become due and will be subject to a penalty charge of 1.25% on the first day of the following month and each month, thereafter, until paid.

What if I receive a supplemental tax bill? 

Instalments noted on Supplemental Tax Bills will not be withdrawn automatically from your bank account under our PAD Plans. You must personally pay all Supplemental Tax Bill instalments on or before the due dates noted on the bills. If you fail to pay the instalments on or before their due dates you will incur penalty charges and you may lose your enrollment privilege to the PAD Plan.

What if a 'miscellaneous charge' is added to my tax account? 

If a 'miscellaneous charge' such as Weed Cutting Charges or Water Billing arrears are added to your tax account, these 'add-on' amounts (and all penalty charges that you may have incurred) will be added to your next scheduled PAD payment (unless you made arrangements to pay the 'add-on' charge over-the-counter or with a personal cheque by mail before your next pre-authorized payment is to be processed).