City offering drop-in clinics for 2025 Vacant Unit Tax declarations

HAMILTON, ON – Starting next week, the City of Hamilton will offer in-person, drop-in clinics in Senior Centres across Hamilton, where staff will provide personal assistance to help residential property owners complete their annual Vacant Unit Tax declaration accurately and on time.

No reservations are required. Residential property owners just need to bring their Notice to Declare Letter or most recent property tax bill, which contains the roll number and access code needed to complete their declaration. Clinics will be hosted at the following locations, dates and times. 

Vacant Unit Tax Drop-In Clinic Schedule:

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Friday, January 16, 2026

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Friday, January 23, 2025

All residential property owners are required to declare the occupancy status of their properties for the 2025 tax year by April 15, 2026. Failure to submit a declaration by the deadline will result in the residential unit being deemed vacant and the Vacant Unit Tax will be applied.

Full details on the different ways that residential property owners can submit a declaration, including online, via phone, email and by mail, are available online at hamilton.ca/VacantUnitTax.

Additional drop-in clinics will be added across Hamilton during the declaration period. Residents are encouraged to visit hamilton.ca/VacantUnitTax in early 2026 to learn more. 

Quick Facts:

• The Vacant Unit Tax aims to increase the supply of housing in Hamilton by encouraging residential property owners to keep their properties occupied rather than vacant. Following the recovery of administrative costs, revenues generated from the Vacant Unit Tax will be reinvested into affordable housing initiatives. 
• The Vacant Unit Tax applies to all properties classified as residential under the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), including single-family detached, townhouses, row houses, and multi-family dwellings (duplexes to sixplexes). In Hamilton, this represents approximately 180,000 properties.