PROPERTY TAXES NEED TO BE FAIR!
Why is my business paying more than residential?
Businesses in Nova Scotia pay on average 2.4 X more in property taxes than residential properties per $100,000 of assessment.
| Municipality | Residential Tax | Commercial Tax | WHY AM I PAYING MORE? (commercial tax minus residential tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | $1,670 | $4,470 | $2,800 |
| Antigonish | $1,300 | $2,900 | $1,600 |
| Bridgewater | $1,850 | $4,070 | $2,220 |
| Cape Breton Regional Municipality | $1,645 | $4,782 | $3,137 |
| Chester | $685 | $1,500 | $815 |
| Colchester | $885 | $2,280 | $1,395 |
| Digby | $1,950 | $4,280 | $2,330 |
| East Hants | $785 | $2,560 | $1,775 |
| Halifax Regional Municipality | $987 | $2,950 | $1,963 |
| Inverness County | $1,140 | $2,000 | $860 |
| Lunenburg | $1,455 | $3,479 | $2,024 |
| Mahone Bay | $1,121 | $3,081 | $1,960 |
| New Glasgow | $1,880 | $4,470 | $2,590 |
| Oxford | $1,886 | $4,516 | $2,630 |
| Port Hawkesbury | $1,580 | $4,160 | $2,580 |
| Region of Queens Municipality | $1,070 | $2,170 | $1,100 |
| Stellarton | $1,880 | $4,300 | $2,420 |
| Truro | $1,900 | $4,550 | $2,650 |
| Wolfville | $1,486 | $3,586 | $2,100 |
| Yarmouth | $1,710 | $4,350 | $2,640 |
Source: CFIB Atlantic Canada Commercial Property Tax Report - Rates, fairness, and the effect on small business. September 2026
Sign the petition
Mayor and Council Members
It’s unfair. My business is being taxed at a higher rate than residential properties. I don’t get the same services and the property taxes I pay are far superior to the proportion of assessments it represents.
My business maintains jobs and creates economic activity in the community; it should not be forced to subsidize a lower rate of property taxes for the residential class.
Property taxes should be fair for all, I am asking you to:
- Put in place a five-year plan that will reduce and eliminate the higher tax rates applied to commercial property.
- Publicly report how the property-tax burden is distributed between property classes.
- I'm also asking the provincial government to treat all property classes equally.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings.