Pre-Authorized Payments

Pre-Authorized Payment Plan

The Pre-Authorized Payment Plan is an optional payment plan that provides an opportunity for property owners to make equal monthly payments for property taxes or utilities. The payments are made on the 15th of each month (or the next business day) by authorizing automatic transfer of payments from a chequing account at any Canadian financial institution to your property tax or utility account with the City of Fernie.

To apply for the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan, complete and SIGN the Authorization Form [PDF - 88 KB] and mail it together with a VOID blank cheque to City Hall at the address indicated on the form.

Eligibility Guidelines

  • Your account must be current with all arrears and delinquent amounts having been paid.
  • You must have chequing privileges at a Financial Institution in Canada.
  • An Authorization Form [PDF - 88 KB] must be completed and submitted along with a blank cheque marked "VOID".

Monthly Payment

  • The fixed monthly payment will be calculated based on 1/12 of the estimated property taxes for the year being pre-paid.
  • Payments will be debited on the 15th of each month, or the next business day.

Changes to Monthly Payment

  • Once monthly payments have commenced, changes to the payment amount will only be made after receiving proper authorization from the property owner.
  • To authorize a change, the property owner must be complete a new Authorization Form [PDF - 88 KB] and return it to City Hall.
  • Any changes to the monthly payment must be received by the first day of the month in which the payment is to be withdrawn from your chequing account.
  • A new Authorization Form [PDF - 88 KB] must also be completed and returned to City Hall if you are changing financial institutions or chequing accounts.

Withdrawal from the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan

  • Once monthly payments have commenced, cancellation of the payment requires that the property owner complete and submit to City Hall a Cancellation Form [PDF - 40 KB].
  • The Cancellation Form [PDF - 40 KB] must be received by the first day of the month in which the payment is scheduled to be withdrawn from your chequing account.

Selling Your Property?

  • If you sell your property during the year you must complete a Cancellation Form [PDF - 40 KB] and submit it to City Hall.
  • The Cancellation Form must be received by the first day of the month in which the payment is scheduled to be withdrawn from your chequing account.
  • If a Cancellation Form is not received payments will continue to be withdrawn from your chequing account and applied to the tax account for that property .
  • The City of Fernie will not be responsible for recovering these payments from the new owners of the property
  • Any payments received will remain as a credit to that property tax account.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure that the conveyancing lawyer or notary provides you with a full credit on your statement of adjustments for any credit balance resulting from the pre-authorized payments.

Dishonoured Payments

  • All dishonoured payments will be subject to a service charge set by the City of Fernie.
  • The City of Fernie may cancel enrolment in the Pre-Authorized Payment Plan if two payments are not honoured by the financial institution.

Annual Tax Notice

  • When you receive your tax notice in May, it will show the total of the accumulated pre-payments plus interest earned.
  • If this amount is less than the property taxes due, you must pay the outstanding amount by the property tax due date to avoid a 10% penalty on the outstanding balance.

Home Owner Grant

  • Even if you pre-pay your property taxes, property owners meeting the eligibility requirements for the Home Owner Grant must complete the Home Owner Grant Application at gov.bc.ca/hoemownergrant.

Further Information

For further information or general inquiries, contact the City of Fernie at (250) 423-6817, via email at finance@fernie.ca, or come to City Hall in person at 501 - 3rd Avenue.