The leader in property tax arrears for 30 years
Made in Canada. Partnering with Ontario municipalities to recover tax arrears with efficiency, compliance, and confidence.
30 years of trusted municipal partnership
Since 1996, Realtax has partnered with approximately 300 Ontario municipalities to support their tax arrears management needs. With over 30 years of experience and powered by our RegDB software engine, we help municipalities efficiently outsource property registration and tax sale processes with confidence and compliance.
300+
Municipalities Served
30+
Years Active
40k+
Properties Processed
$690M+
Tax Arrears Processed
How We Help Ontario Municipalities Recover Tax Arrears
Realtax recovers tax arrears for Ontario municipalities through a complete suite of services. From tax registration to online property advertising, we handle the process with compliance, transparency, and efficiency.
Tax Registration
Full management of the twelve-month registration process, notices, and legislated timelines.
Tax Sales
Guidance and document preparation for sales by tender or auction, including advertising, bid reviews, and surplus handling.
We also support municipal professionals through ongoing education, workshops, and conference sessions.
Clients achieve more with Realtax
“You won’t find a more skilled and expert team than Realtax. Thanks to their experience, the tax sale process goes off without a hitch.”
"My experience is from a previous municipality, but has always been fantastic."
"Realtax has made the process of tax registration so easy. The staff is very knowledgeable and they really take care of everything."
"My experience with Realtax has always been amazing. They have always been the friend who Shows Me The Money!"
"It has been a wonderful experience working with Realtax for more than 15 years. We are a small northern community with limited staff and their expertise in tax collection has assisted us in recovering thousands of dollars in outstanding taxes."
"It has been excellent. Staff there are very helpful, prompt, professional, and experienced."
"The customer service provided by the team makes processes so much easier to do. They track all the dates and are always there to answer questions."
“Great experience using Realtax's services over the years. They keep us on track with all Legislated deadlines and have a wealth of tax registration/sale expertise on staff to assist with any questions that arise during the process.”
“Working with Realtax has made registering arrears certificate and holding tax sales a breeze. We feel comfortable knowing we are working within provincial legislation with Realtax at the helm.”
Clients We’re Proud to Support
Serving over 300 Ontario municipalities since 1996, including some of our long-standing clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've never done a tax registration or tax sale before. Where do I start?
Please contact us. One of our managers will be delighted to explain the procedures to you. You’ll be talking to someone who has handled thousands of tax registrations and hundreds of tax sales. It will be our pleasure to contact you every step of the way and explain the process to you.
Are payments of tax arrears made to Realtax?
No. Payments must always be made directly to your municipality. Realtax will not accept any tax payments.
What's the difference between a tax registration & a tax sale?
Tax Registration is the set of procedures that must be conducted before a property can be advertised for tax sale. These procedures include: registering a tax arrears certificate, notifying everyone who has an interest in the property, etc.
Tax Sale is the set of procedures that must be conducted if the taxes remain unpaid one year after a tax arrears certificate was registered.
At what point does a municipality become entitled to register a tax arrears certificate?
Previously, a tax arrears certificate could be registered if there were arrears owing on January 1 of the third year following that in which the taxes became owing (Municipal Act, 2001, 373(1)). That has changed. According to subsection 55(1) of the Modernizing Ontario’s Municipal Legislation Act, 2017¸ a tax arrears certificate can be registered if there are any taxes owing on January 1 of the second year following that in which the taxes became owing.
For example:
2-year policy
If there are arrears from any time in 2023
- On 1 January 2024 property is in it’s first year of arrears
- On 1 January 2025 property is in it’s second year of arrears, so you can register a tax arrears certificate any time after this day
3-year policy
If there are arrears from any time in 2022
- On 1 January 2023 property is in it’s first year of arrears
- On 1 January 2025 property is in it’s second year of arrears,
- On 1 January 2025 property is in it’s third year of arrears, so you can register a tax arrears certificate any time after this day
If arrears from 2022 have been fully paid – the owner is no longer in 3 years of arrears and the registration process cannot continue.
Can Realtax Inc. fee be added to a property's realty tax account if a tax arrears certificate has not yet been registered?
Yes, it can be, providing that you are entitled to register a tax arrears certificate. Subsection 371(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001 allows you to add:
“…all reasonable costs incurred by the municipality after the treasurer becomes entitled to register a tax arrears certificate under section 373 in proceeding under this Part or in contemplation of proceeding under this Part…”
Can a municipality accept a partial payment after a tax arrears certificate has been registered?
Pursuant to Section 347(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001 as amended (MA), the only way you can accept partial payments once a Tax Arrears Certificate is registered is by an Extension Agreement drafted in accordance with section 378.
Please note: An extension agreement can only be entered into after the registration of the tax arrears certificate and before the expiry of the one-year period mentioned in subsection 379 (1).
Does a municipality have to offer an Extension Agreement?
Whether or not an Extension Agreement is entered into is completely up to each municipality individually. It is an "option" set out in the MA, not a "requirement".
Extension agreements
378 (1) A municipality may, after the registration of the tax arrears certificate and before the expiry of the one-year period mentioned in subsection 379 (1), enter into an extension agreement, extending the period of time in which the cancellation price is to be paid.