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Tax rates range from 5% to 15%. See where to find the lowest
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Canadians seldom think twice about the cost of going to the doctor or sending their kids to school, but nothing in this country really comes for free. Taxes pay for everything from the roads we drive on to our universal health care. They’re the unavoidable cost of living in a modern society. But that doesn’t mean we enjoy paying them.
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Taxes set at the provincial level like sales and income taxes are the biggest determinants of how much you’ll pay and vary a great deal across the country. Sales taxes range from a low of 5% in Alberta up to 15% in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. Income taxes are just as varied. Someone earning $50,000 in British Columbia could expect to pay roughly $8,300 in income taxes, assuming no dedications or write-offs, whereas a persons in the same situation living in Quebec should expect to pay $2,600 more.
As much as Canadians detest income taxes, we are just as happy to gripe about their property taxes too. And these taxes can vary widely between neighbouring cities. Move across the Rouge Valley from Toronto into Pickering and you can expect your property tax rate to jump from 1.69% to 2.75%. In dollar terms, that works out to a $2,000 more a year difference for most families.
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Below you’ll find our ranking of Best Places for Taxes. But remember with taxes, it’s not simply a matter of looking at how much any one is paying, but also how much of a burden they place on Canadians. A $2,000 property tax bill of won’t affect a high-income family, but it could place a huge burden on some families making less than the national average. Our ranking takes this into account.
British Columbia dominates our list thanks to the low income and sales tax rates in that province, but don’t expect to find any cities in Atlantic Canada. Stare at the list below all you want, you won’t find a single city east of Ottawa on our ranking for the Best Places for Taxes.
| Rank | Name | Province | Property Tax (%) |
Average Property Tax ($) |
Average Property Tax as a % of Income |
Sales Tax |
Income Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria | B.C. | 0.82% | $770.63 | 1.11% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 2 | Prince Rupert | B.C. | 1.15% | $1,110.82 | 1.25% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 3 | Dawson Creek | B.C. | 1.10% | $1,197.75 | 1.23% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 4 | Fort St. John | B.C. | 1.01% | $1,336.19 | 1.14% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 5 | Quesnel | B.C. | 1.28% | $1,153.26 | 1.33% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 6 | Esquimalt | B.C. | 1.21% | $1,124.02 | 1.49% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 7 | Nelson | B.C. | 1.26% | $1,101.11 | 1.49% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 8 | North Vancouver | B.C. | 1.11% | $1,254.57 | 1.51% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 9 | New Westminster | B.C. | 1.22% | $1,211.16 | 1.50% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 10 | Whistler | B.C. | 0.75% | $1,461.34 | 1.33% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 11 | Williams Lake | B.C. | 1.40% | $1,218.20 | 1.46% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 12 | Greater Vancouver | B.C. | 0.52% | $1,451.16 | 1.46% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 13 | Prince George | B.C. | 1.38% | $1,356.73 | 1.45% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 14 | Whitehorse | YT | 1.15% | $1,312.91 | 1.26% | 5.0% | $8,541 |
| 15 | Vancouver | B.C. | 0.99% | $1,471.57 | 1.61% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 16 | Yellowknife | NWT | 1.18% | $1,929.68 | 1.27% | 5.0% | $8,314 |
| 17 | Terrace | B.C. | 1.40% | $1,429.98 | 1.57% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 18 | Penticton | B.C. | 1.48% | $1,310.24 | 1.75% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 19 | Mackenzie County | Alta. | 1.21% | $1,205.39 | 1.24% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 20 | Langford | B.C. | 1.40% | $1,649.38 | 1.69% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 21 | Langley | B.C. | 1.56% | $1,381.13 | 1.83% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 22 | Cranbrook | B.C. | 1.49% | $1,591.66 | 1.75% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 23 | Kelowna | B.C. | 1.48% | $1,606.52 | 1.76% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 24 | Vernon | B.C. | 1.48% | $1,492.06 | 1.93% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 25 | Mountain View County | Alta. | 1.35% | $1,312.32 | 1.36% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 26 | White Rock | B.C. | 1.38% | $1,704.89 | 1.93% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 27 | Lac Ste. Anne County | Alta. | 1.23% | $1,382.91 | 1.34% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 28 | Burnaby | B.C. | 1.22% | $1,724.53 | 2.02% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 29 | Lake Country | B.C. | 1.43% | $1,789.87 | 1.81% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 30 | Grande Prairie | Alta. | 1.14% | $1,575.06 | 1.28% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 31 | Kamloops | B.C. | 1.55% | $1,708.42 | 1.78% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 32 | Wetaskiwin | Alta. | 1.47% | $1,303.60 | 1.48% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 33 | Salmon Arm | B.C. | 1.60% | $1,556.94 | 1.94% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 34 | Campbell River | B.C. | 1.62% | $1,607.94 | 1.93% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 35 | Canmore | Alta. | 1.15% | $1,763.65 | 1.38% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 36 | Whitecourt | Alta. | 1.17% | $1,806.12 | 1.31% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 37 | Cold Lake | Alta. | 1.12% | $1,880.51 | 1.29% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 38 | Clearwater County | Alta. | 1.44% | $1,587.00 | 1.38% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 39 | Sooke | B.C. | 1.63% | $1,693.54 | 1.97% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 40 | Wood Buffalo | Alta. | 0.81% | $2,056.42 | 0.93% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 41 | Port Alberni | B.C. | 1.91% | $1,372.46 | 2.07% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 42 | Airdrie | Alta. | 1.32% | $1,767.68 | 1.48% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 43 | Calgary | Alta. | 1.34% | $1,848.38 | 1.39% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 44 | Squamish | B.C. | 1.52% | $1,998.96 | 1.96% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 45 | West Kelowna | B.C. | 1.45% | $2,087.46 | 2.00% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 46 | Edmonton | Alta. | 1.40% | $1,680.13 | 1.54% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 47 | Summerland | B.C. | 1.57% | $1,803.40 | 2.13% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 48 | Hinton | Alta. | 1.41% | $1,775.63 | 1.44% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 49 | Yellowhead County | Alta. | 1.43% | $1,707.12 | 1.49% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 50 | Colwood | B.C. | 1.59% | $1,996.50 | 1.96% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 51 | Nanaimo | B.C. | 1.71% | $1,672.19 | 2.13% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 52 | Powell River | B.C. | 1.91% | $1,537.32 | 2.14% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 53 | High River | Alta. | 1.33% | $1,707.90 | 1.77% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 54 | Brooks | Alta. | 1.49% | $1,755.99 | 1.57% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 55 | Lloydminster | Alta. | 1.46% | $2,007.00 | 1.38% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 56 | Fort Saskatchewan | Alta. | 1.42% | $1,952.83 | 1.51% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 57 | Camrose | Alta. | 1.70% | $1,594.14 | 1.56% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 58 | Bonnyville No. 87 | Alta. | 1.38% | $2,205.23 | 1.46% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 59 | Courtenay | B.C. | 1.91% | $1,613.85 | 2.23% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 60 | Okotoks | Alta. | 1.42% | $2,009.02 | 1.59% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 61 | Stony Plain | Alta. | 1.51% | $1,897.82 | 1.60% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 62 | Wetaskiwin County No. 10 | Alta. | 1.58% | $1,769.25 | 1.62% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 63 | Port Moody | B.C. | 1.56% | $2,331.83 | 2.02% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 64 | Grande Prairie County No. 1 | Alta. | 1.36% | $2,302.20 | 1.45% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 65 | Leduc | Alta. | 1.52% | $1,933.63 | 1.67% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 66 | Surrey | B.C. | 1.59% | $2,186.47 | 2.22% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 67 | Medicine Hat | Alta. | 1.63% | $1,716.06 | 1.73% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 68 | Lacombe County | Alta. | 1.57% | $1,924.81 | 1.64% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 69 | Red Deer | Alta. | 1.53% | $1,937.71 | 1.67% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 70 | Richmond | B.C. | 1.44% | $2,206.59 | 2.44% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 71 | Leduc County | Alta. | 1.46% | $2,271.91 | 1.43% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 72 | Saanich (DM) | B.C. | 1.64% | $2,201.23 | 2.19% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 73 | Spruce Grove | Alta. | 1.50% | $2,097.09 | 1.62% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 74 | Abbotsford | B.C. | 1.83% | $1,974.87 | 2.23% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 75 | Cochrane | Alta. | 1.47% | $2,250.15 | 1.56% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 76 | Pitt Meadows | B.C. | 1.77% | $2,173.60 | 2.18% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 77 | Lethbridge | Alta. | 1.72% | $1,669.97 | 1.84% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 78 | Chestermere | Alta. | 1.38% | $2,491.34 | 1.50% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 79 | Sidney | B.C. | 1.84% | $1,936.10 | 2.41% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 80 | North Cowichan | B.C. | 1.69% | $2,114.46 | 2.48% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 81 | Port Coquitlam | B.C. | 1.72% | $2,288.15 | 2.20% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 82 | Coquitlam | B.C. | 1.77% | $2,201.51 | 2.25% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 83 | Chilliwack | B.C. | 1.88% | $1,956.22 | 2.38% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 84 | Parksville | B.C. | 2.02% | $1,706.27 | 2.52% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 85 | Mission | B.C. | 1.87% | $2,053.88 | 2.35% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 86 | Hawkesbury | Ont. | 2.16% | $1,300.58 | 2.04% | 13.0% | $8,310 |
| 87 | West Nipissing | Ont. | 2.15% | $1,405.39 | 1.95% | 13.0% | $8,310 |
| 88 | Strathmore | Alta. | 1.73% | $1,972.49 | 1.72% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 89 | Central Saanich | B.C. | 1.63% | $2,481.43 | 2.30% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 90 | Red Deer County | Alta. | 1.56% | $2,428.34 | 1.59% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 91 | Lacombe | Alta. | 1.65% | $2,090.16 | 1.85% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 92 | Lethbridge County | Alta. | 1.79% | $1,929.53 | 1.88% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 93 | Coldstream | B.C. | 1.72% | $2,696.65 | 2.17% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 94 | Maple Ridge (DM) | B.C. | 1.87% | $2,310.45 | 2.36% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 95 | Beaumont | Alta. | 1.51% | $2,674.62 | 1.62% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 96 | Comox | B.C. | 1.94% | $2,224.54 | 2.42% | 12.0% | $8,286 |
| 97 | Moose Jaw | Sask. | 1.49% | $1,345.70 | 1.50% | 11.0% | $9,723 |
| 98 | Perth East | Ont. | 1.92% | $1,820.97 | 2.06% | 13.0% | $8,310 |
| 99 | Sturgeon County | Alta. | 1.65% | $2,489.06 | 1.71% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
| 100 | Sylvan Lake | Alta. | 1.62% | $2,351.53 | 1.87% | 5.0% | $9,110 |
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