Burlington would like to be excluded from a vacant home tax in Halton Region, councillors decided Monday morning.
During a Committee of the Whole meeting at city hall, councillors and the mayor quickly passed a recommendation that city CFO Craig Milar to advise the region that the city would like to be excluded from by-laws that implement a vacant home tax in the municipality.
There are approximately 265 vacant homes in Burlington, as of 2022. The combined revenue from the tax on the four municipalities in Halton would bring in an estimated $6.1 million for the region.
Only about one third of the vacant homes in Burlington are anticipated to be sold or rented in the next decade.
Councillors only spent a few moments discussing the matter before it was passed. It will go to council on Tuesday, Sept. 17 for final approval.
