As of April 1, 2008 responsibility of property assessments and other property related services transferred from Assessment Services to the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC).

Please access the following links to obtain more information on the following topics:
Who is the PVSC?
What is Property Assessment?
What is Market Value?
What is the CAP Program?
Can I Appeal My Assessment?

To view each rate section, please click on each header.

Tax Rates
These rates are set by Municipal Council and apply to all properties in those categories within the Municipality. These rates fund all programs and services of the Municipality not recovered through user fees, area rates, or special assessments.

Sewer Rates
For sanitary sewer systems owned by the Municipality, every owner of land that is serviced by a sewer line or is fronting on any street or highway that has had a sewer line installed is subject to a sewer charge. Several other classes of property are charged various rates according to By-Law #27A of the Municipality. The Villages of Port Williams, Kingston, and New Minas own their own sanitary sewers for which a charge may appear on your tax bill. Please contact those village offices if you have concerns about those charges.

Street Lights
Any property upon which there is a dwelling or which is a commercial property, all or any portion of which has frontage on a street, road, or highway, and is within 100 feet of the extremities of the area serviced by street lighting is subject to pay a flat rate calculated to recover the cost of those street lights.

Intersection lighting within a hamlet or unincorporated growth area, as defined in the Land Use by-law, is charged as a flat rate to all residential and commercial properties within that area.

Sidewalk Rates
Sidewalks maintenance and plowing within a hamlet or unincorporated growth area, as defined in the Land Use by-law, is charged based on assessed value to all residential and commercial properties within that area. These rates apply in Greenwich and Hants Border.

Hydrant Rates
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board requires that most water utilities provide fire protection in the form of hydrants to the communities that they serve. The water utilities bill the amount approved by the Board for this service to the Municipalities. The Municipality recovers this amount through an area rate charged against all properties that have any portion within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant. Even though individual Fire Departments may choose not to use particular fire hydrants for operational reasons, the water utility and therefore the Municipality must still bear the cost of providing these hydrants in those areas.

Closeness to fire hydrants will also usually result in a reduction to your fire insurance premiums. If you are paying this tax, you should ensure that your insurance company is aware that you have a hydrant close to your property.

Fire Rates
Fire Departments in Kings County receive operating grants to help offset their day-to-day expenses. These grants come out of your regular taxes. These fire Departments also require expensive equipment to provide fire protection service. A portion of this money is raised through community fund raising efforts, but those sources may not raise sufficient funds to meet the needs of the fire department.

In certain areas of the County there are Fire Commissions. These bodies have the ability to set area rates which are set at annual ratepayers' meetings. These Commissions set rates in the Kingston, Aylesford, Greenwich, Berwick, and Canning areas.

In addition Council sets rates in areas not serviced by Commissions based on ratepayers input at advertised special meetings. These rates are in affect for the Kentville, Hantsport, New Minas, and Wolfville service areas as well as areas outside the Commission boundaries for Aylesford and Greenwich Fire Departments.

Road Maintenance
Five areas of the County have council approval to levy a Road Maintenance area rate. Private Road Maintenance is a required service that will ensure the safety and long-term serviceability of roads owned by private owners. The Road Owners Association presents the proposed expenditures to the association members for approval. Road maintenance includes all work required to maintain the road in a serviceable condition year round and may include snow removal, grading, ditching, culvert and bridge repair and brush clearing. These areas are Tupper Lake, Murphy Lake, Armstrong Lake, Aylescott Village, and North Lake Paul.

Recreation Rates
These rates are charged on a per-dwelling unit basis by Council in those areas where the ratepayers have indicated their support at an advertised annual meeting.

Area Rates
Villages have the authority to set rates within their boundaries to recover their costs of the services they provide. Most villages contract the Municipality to have these charges appear on our tax bill so the ratepayers will not have to receive and pay separate bills. If you have concerns about these charges, please contact the applicable Village office.

Tax Billings & Payment Options