Weyburn City Council passed a motion Monday night to give notice to property owners who are in arrears for their 2023 property taxes. The motion passed gives a 60-day notice for properties that have unpaid taxes for 2023, as per the provincial Tax Enforcement Act. 

"After 60 days, a lien will be registered on the title of the property if they are still unpaid," City of Weyburn Finance Director Laura Missal explained during the meeting. In all 73 properties are on the property tax arrears report for last year, with a total amount of $241,680.16 owed. 

Councillor Mel Van Betuw clarified the situation for residents, confirming that the process for tax enforcement is dictated by the provincial government. 

"So, we have no alternative but to follow the rules, and if they go into the tax enforcement, it's not the city being the big bad," Van Betuw asked rhetorically of the Finance Director. She confirmed that is the case, and she encourages residents to come in to make an effort to put a payment on their taxes. 

Mayor Marcel Roy explained during the meeting, for the benefit of those watching the meeting, that not all of the property taxes are City of Weyburn revenues. Half of the taxes that are collected, Roy stated, go towards the education taxes imposed by the province. 

"We are, as a city, are on the hook to pay the school tax at the end of the year," Roy said. "So of that, $240,000, roughly, maybe $120,000 is school tax. We have to pony up that school tax to the province whether we have collected it or not."

The tax arrears for 2023 were lower than 2022 when the total amount owing on the year-end tax arrears report was around $315,000. 

The motion to give the 60-day notice to those in arrears for 2023 was passed unanimously.