Burnaby does not levy its own empty home tax. What applies instead is the provincial Speculation and Vacancy Tax, and every residential property in Burnaby sits inside the Metro Vancouver designated taxable area it covers.1Province of British Columbia. Speculation and Vacancy Tax Owners can be charged up to 3% of assessed value each year, but most people who live in their own home owe nothing. The catch is that you still have to file a declaration to prove it, and the deadline is March 31.
Who Has to File
If your name is on title to a residential property in Burnaby, you have to file. When a property has more than one owner, each person on title files a separate declaration. That applies to spouses who co-own, family members sharing title, and any group of named owners on an investment property. The obligation follows the title, not the household.
What the Tax Costs
The rate depends on residency and where you report your income, not just whether a home sits empty. For the 2026 tax year:
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents who report their income in Canada: 1% of assessed value.
- Foreign owners: 3% of assessed value.
- Satellite families, meaning households where more than half of combined worldwide income isn’t reported on a Canadian tax return: 3% of assessed value.
On a home assessed at $1 million, the 1% rate produces a $10,000 bill. At 3%, the same home generates $30,000. Assessed values on detached homes in Burnaby routinely exceed $1.5 million, so the numbers climb fast.1Province of British Columbia. Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Exemptions Most Owners Can Claim
Most Burnaby homeowners qualify for an exemption. The biggest one covers anyone living in their own home: if the property is your principal residence and you live and work in B.C., no tax is assessed. You still have to file the declaration confirming it.2Government of British Columbia. Exemptions for Individuals for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Other exemptions cover situations where charging the tax would be unfair:
- A tenant occupies the home for at least six months of the calendar year. Rentals shorter than one month don’t count toward the six months.
- The home is uninhabitable for 60 or more consecutive days due to a disaster or hazardous condition beyond the owner’s control.
- Major renovations or construction prevent safe occupancy while the work continues.
- The property was purchased or inherited during the tax year.
- An owner died during the year and the estate is being settled.
- The owner moved into a residential care facility due to age, illness, disability, or frailty. Available for up to two years.
- The owner, spouse, or a minor child is away for medical treatment.
- The owner separated from a spouse during the tax year and left the home.
- The property is held by a trustee in bankruptcy.
- The owner is a Canadian Armed Forces member away on service.
Each exemption has its own eligibility rules. The province can request documentation such as tenancy agreements and bank records to verify a claim, and claiming an exemption you don’t qualify for can trigger a compliance review.2Government of British Columbia. Exemptions for Individuals for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
How to File
The province mails a declaration letter to every residential property owner in the taxable area. That letter contains the Letter ID and Declaration Code you need to file. The property’s PID or folio number is not used.3Province of British Columbia. How to Declare for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Individual owners also need their Social Insurance Number and date of birth. The fastest route is the province’s eTaxBC online portal, and a straightforward declaration takes only a few minutes. Filing by phone is available if you can’t declare online. Corporations, trusts, and business partnerships face heavier documentation requirements covering business numbers, incorporation details, and information on all corporate interest holders and beneficial owners.3Province of British Columbia. How to Declare for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Deadlines That Matter
Two dates each year. The declaration is due March 31. Any tax owed is due on the first business day in July, which is July 2 for 2026.1Province of British Columbia. Speculation and Vacancy Tax You can pay any time after receiving your Notice of Assessment.
What Happens If You Miss March 31
This is where owners get burned. If you don’t declare, the province does not assume you qualify for an exemption. It assumes the opposite: your property is deemed vacant and assessed at the highest rate that applies to you. For a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, that means 1% even if the home is your principal residence. For a foreign owner, 3%.4Province of British Columbia. Assessments and Appeals for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
A two-minute online declaration claiming the principal residence exemption reduces the bill to zero. Forgetting turns a $0 obligation into a $10,000-plus bill on a typical Burnaby property.
Appealing an Assessment
If you receive an assessment you believe is wrong, the first step is contacting the province to raise the issue. A phone call does not start the formal appeal. To formally contest the assessment, file an appeal to the minister within 90 days of the date on your assessment or reassessment notice.4Province of British Columbia. Assessments and Appeals for the Speculation and Vacancy Tax
Filing an appeal does not pause your payment obligation. You still owe the assessed amount while the appeal is pending, and interest continues to accrue. If you win, the province refunds what you paid. If you lose at the ministerial level, judicial review in B.C. Supreme Court is the next option, and it’s limited to narrow legal grounds rather than a fresh look at the facts.