Nearly 34,000 Manitoba seniors have applied for a rebate to reduce their school taxes following the doubling of the Seniors’ School Tax Rebate. This announcement was made by Finance Minister Greg Dewar.
“In this year’s budget, we doubled the Seniors’ School Tax Rebate so they could save up to $1,570 on their property taxes this year, and so far, close to 34,000 seniors have applied,” Minister Dewar said. “This rebate saves seniors money and makes it more affordable for older Manitobans to stay in their family homes.”
Payments will begin being processed after the property tax filing due date, the minister said adding processing of payments will begin after the property tax due date. For properties with a June 30 property tax due date, such as Winnipeg, Brandon, Headingley and Dunnottar, payments will be delivered by direct deposit and cheque starting July 6, he noted.
In March 2015, the Manitoba government doubled the Seniors’ School Tax Rebate to $470 from $235. The maximum rebate of $470 is available in 2015, in addition to the basic $700 Education Property Tax Credit and the income-tested $400 Senior’s Education Property Tax Credit top-up.
Seniors can apply for the rebate when they receive their property tax statement from their local municipality, the minister said. Some municipalities will be sending out property tax statements over the summer into fall. To qualify for the 2015 tax rebate, seniors must:
- own or occupy and live in a home that is their principal residence,
- be liable for the school taxes on that residence,
- be at least 65 years of age by the end of 2015, and
- have school taxes not already fully covered by the basic Education Property Tax Credit.
There are an estimated 80,000 homes owned by seniors in Manitoba. Approximately 17,000 senior homeowners already have their school taxes fully covered by the Manitoba government’s basic Education Property Tax Credit and the 2014 Seniors’ School Tax Rebate.
The minister noted an additional 6,700 senior households will no longer pay school taxes this year with the expanded 2015 Seniors’ School Tax Rebate.
Applications are available online or by calling 204-945-7555 in Winnipeg or at 1-855-893-8266 (toll-free).
