Paying taxes and using municipal utilities keeps Yarmouth running — from streets and parks to water and sewer services. Below is what property owners and residents need to know about property taxes, water and sewer billing, and related services. For payment options see Bill & Ticket Payments.
Taxes
Property tax billing
- The Town issues two property tax bills each year:
- April (interim) — due May 31 — 60% of the year’s taxes, based on the current assessment and the previous Council tax rate.
- August (final) — due September 30 — 40% of the year’s taxes, based on the current assessment and the new tax rate set by Council; the final bill includes a garbage fee per dwelling unit.
- The tax year runs April 1 – March 31.
- Property tax = assessed value × applicable tax rate. The assessed value is the capped market value of the property at the base rate as determined by the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC), a department of the Nova Scotia Government since 2008. To learn more, please visit the PVSC website.
2025-2026 property tax rates (summary)
| Residential | $1.71 per $100 of Assessment |
| Commercial | $4.35 per $100 of Assessment |
| Resource General | $1.71 per $100 of Assessment |
| Farmland | $2.18 per Acre |
| Garbage | $205 per dwelling unit up to a maximum of 4 (four) dwelling units per building. Other In excess of 4 (four) dwelling units is deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. Retail and other Commercial type operators are deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. |
Interest Rate: Interest is applied monthly (14% annually) on the first day of each month after the Tax Due Date.
How taxes are used
To learn more about how your municipal taxes are spent, check out our Annual Budget.
Other tax information
- Deed Transfer Tax: 1% of the purchase price for properties within Town limits.
- Property Tax Certificate: $20 per certificate (HST exempt).
- Property Tax Sale: Properties with taxes in arrears for two preceding taxation years may be placed on the Tax Sale list under Section 134 of the Municipal Government Act. Notices, advertising, and the tax sale process follow the Act; buyers may receive a Certificate of Sale or Tax Sale Deed depending on the age of arrears. (Detailed process and timelines are governed by provincial law.)
Changing your mailing address
- It is your responsibility to keep your mailing address current on your property tax account. Where there are multiple owners or addresses, the Town issues one bill to one address. Complete and return the Change of Mailing Address form to Town Hall.
Federal and provincial taxes
- Federal and provincial taxes (income tax, GST/HST, business taxes) are handled by the Canada Revenue Agency and Nova Scotia Taxation. For those obligations see the CRA and Nova Scotia Taxation websites:
Paying property taxes
- For payment methods and options, visit Bill & Ticket Payments.
Utilities
Water & wastewater (sewer) service
- Water and sewer service is provided by the Town and billed quarterly.
- Quarterly bills: issued four times per year. Payments more than 30 days after the bill date will incur interest at 14% per annum.
- To pay your water/sewer bill, please see Bill and Ticket Payments.
2025–2026 water and wastewater charges (summary)
| (Quarterly charges based on meter size) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Meter size in inches | Water quarterly | Wastewater quarterly |
| 5/8" | $54.87 | $40.16 |
| 3/4" | $80.48 | $60.25 |
| 1" | $131.71 | $100.42 |
| 1.5" | $259.76 | $200.83 |
| 2" | $413.43 | $321.32 |
| 3" | $823.22 | $642.65 |
| 4" | $1,284.23 | $1004.14 |
| 6" | $2,564.80 | $2008.27 |
| 8" | $4,613.73 | $3,614.90 |
| Consumption Rate (per 1000 Imperial Gallons): | |
|---|---|
| 1st Block | (0 to 4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $6.27 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
| 2nd Block | (>4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $4.26 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
Effluent Rate: $4.617/1000 Imp. Gallons
Connecting, responsibility and billing
- To connect to Town water you must sign a contract with the Yarmouth Water Utility and pay applicable charges.
- Owners are responsible for private service connections (from the building to the property line) and for maintenance of private plumbing inside their property.
- For details about connections, repairs, or accounts, contact the Yarmouth Water Utility.
Late payments and interest
- Interest at 14% per year is applied to overdue water/sewer accounts after 30 days.
Reporting problems or questions about water/wastewater
- For urgent water/wastewater issues (daytime emergencies) call Operational Services. For after-hours emergencies call the designated emergency line:
- Tel: (902) 742-9423
Hours of operation: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
After-hours emergency: 1-833-460-8709
- Tel: (902) 742-9423
- For non-urgent inquiries about accounts or billing, contact:
- Tel: (902) 742-2521
Electricity
- Electricity service in Yarmouth is provided by Nova Scotia Power. To start or manage service, visit the Nova Scotia Power website.
Where to find more information
- Annual Budget (how tax dollars are spent)
- Bill & Ticket Payments (pay taxes and utility bills)
- Yarmouth Water Utility (connections, accounts, service details)
- Property Valuation Services Corporation (property assessments)
- Nova Scotia Taxation and Canada Revenue Agency (provincial and federal taxes)