School Tax

School Tax

School tax is one of the services you are charged for on your annual property tax notice. The tax isn't based on whether you or your family use the public or private school system. The education system benefits all BC residents including people without children in school. You pay school tax to share in the cost of providing education in BC.

If your property is located within a municipality, you pay school tax to your municipal office.

Visit the provincial website for the school tax

Additional School Tax

If you own a high value residential property, you may also have to pay the additional school tax rate.

Starting in 2019, the provincial government will apply an additional school tax for properties assessed at $3 million and over. 

The District collects the Additional School Tax on behalf of the Province. The additional tax rate is:

  • 0.2% on the residential portion assessed between $3 million and $4 million
  • 0.4% on the residential portion assessed at over $4 million

For mixed-use properties, only the residential portion of the property’s assessed value above $3 million will be taxable.

The District collects the School Tax and Additional School Tax on behalf of the Province. 

Revenue from School Taxes is deposited into the Province’s consolidated revenue fund and is not used directly to fund school districts, but rather to fund core government services throughout the province. These services include schools, post secondary education, the justice system, and healthcare and other essential services. The District has no authority on how this tax revenue is to be allocated.

Visit the provincial website for the additional school tax rate