The City of Vancouver is reminding residents to submit their empty home tax paperwork by Friday's deadline, but it's keeping mum on how many homeowners have declared empty homes. Residents who don't file the paperwork will automatically be subject to the one per cent tax of the property's 2017 assessed value, as well as a $250 fine. However, she downplayed the income the tax will generate and emphasized that the city's goal is to create new housing. Geller said some people have sold empty secondary properties now that the tax has been implemented, while others will just pay the tax. He also suggested a Crime Watch-type program for neighbours to call in suspected empty homes to the city.

Source: CBC News January 29, 2018 22:21 UTC