The Town of Newmarket introduced a Financial Relief Plan to assist residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan was created to give those in need more time to pay. The Town urges those who are able to pay to continue to do so to help support essential services and those who need it most.

The Financial Relief Program is intended to help our residents and businesses who are most in need. Please note that the waiver of penalties and interest is a relief measure. It is important to note that payments are to the Town are still owed, and are not eliminated. 

Details of the Financial Relief Program include:

• No penalty and interest charges on property tax payments until January 1, 2021
• No penalty and interest charges for late payment of water/wastewater bills until January 1, 2021
• Reducing water and wastewater rates by 4.69% beginning May 1, 2020
• Waiving all Non-Sufficient Fund (NSF) fees until the end of June 2020
• Deferring the stormwater charges to November 2020
• No penalty and interest charges for all Town accounts receivable including development agreements, leases and sponsorships
  

There is no opt in process for the Financial Relief Program. If you need more time to make your payments, all you need to do is not make a payment. Residents and businesses will not be charged penalty or interest for late payments until January 1, 2021 from the Town of Newmarket. 

If you are currently on any Pre-Authorized Payment (PAP) Plan, the Town will continue to be withdraw pre-authorized payments as scheduled.

Those on any PAP Plan are required to notify the Town in writing ten (10) business days before the next withdraw is scheduled (email taxes@newmarket.ca) in order to stop all payment withdrawals from their PAP plan. Doing so will remove your participation from the PAP. Those who wish to return to a PAP in the future will need to re-apply and the balance owning on their account must be $0. See below for more information on PAP Plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

All residents and businesses who pay property taxes, water bills, or have leases with the Town can participate in the Financial Relief Program.   

If you can continue to pay, please do so. This program was created to give those in need more time to make their payments.

All non-payments are still owed to the Town and will remain on the individuals account. These payments are not eliminated. Penalties and interests will be charged on owing amounts on January 1, 2021.  Please pay if you can to avoid a large outstanding balance at the end of the year. 

Please do not pay in person as the Municipal Office (395 Mulock Drive) is currently closed. The Town still offers a number of payment options for your property taxes. For more details, check payment options.

• Online or telephone banking
  
• Mailing a cheque to the Municipal Offices
• Drop off a cheque at the Municipal Offices in the after-hours drop off box by the front doors

Please do not mail cash or drop off any cash at the Municipal Offices for property tax payment. 

Post-dated payments will be processed as normal, unless directed by the property owner. If you can continue to pay your property taxes, please continue to do so. By waiving the penalties and interest until January 1, 2021, the Town is hoping to give residents, who are in need, more time to make their payments. These payments are still owed to the Town, not eliminated. 

If you would like the Town to not process your post-dated cheque, please indicate this in writing by emailing taxes@newmarket.ca. If the post-dated cheques have already been processed, please contact your banking institution for assistance.

The Town is continuing to withdraw all PAP plans as scheduled. If you cannot make your property tax payment and need more time to pay, you will need to cancel your participation from your PAP plan. Those on any PAP Plan are required to notify the Town in writing ten (10) business days before the next withdraw is scheduled (email taxes@newmarket.ca) in order to stop all payment withdrawals from your PAP plan.

If you can pay your property taxes on time, please continue to do so. By waiving the penalties and interests, the Town is hoping to give residents, who are in need, more time to make their payments. These payments are still owed to the Town, not eliminated.

In the future, if you wish to enroll back into the PAP program at a later date, you will need to re-apply and your property tax account balance must be $0. Re-enrollments will be treated as new applications.

After the Town cancels your participation from the PAP program, the Town will email/send you a notice notifying you of the amount owing on your property tax account. No late fees for penalties will be applied to your account until January 1, 2021. 

The withdrawal date for the End of Month PAP is on the last business day of each month. If you cannot make your property tax payment and need more time to pay, you will need to cancel your participation from your PAP plan by emailing taxes@newmarket.ca 

Those on any PAP Plan are required to notify the Town in writing ten (10) business days before the next withdraw is scheduled (email taxes@newmarket.ca) in order to stop all payment withdrawals from their PAP plan.

If your request to cancel your participation from the End of Month PAP Plan cannot be processed by the Town, you will need to contact your financial institution for any Non-Sufficient Fund (NSF) charges imposed by your banking institution.

After the Town cancels your participation from the PAP program, the Town will email/send you a notice notifying you of the amount owing on your property tax account. No late fees for penalties will be applied to your account until January 1, 2021. 

If you cancelled your participation from your PAP plan, because you were in financial need, and wish to re-apply, you will need to:

1. Pay any outstanding owing amounts of your property tax account (account balance must be $0).
2. Re-apply by submitting an application form to taxes@newmarket.ca and provide a void cheque to the Town. Re-enrollments will be treated as new applications.

Water and wastewater charges are collected by Newmarket Hydro. 

The Town of Newmarket has waived all water and wastewater penalties and interest until January 1, 2021. If you wish to defer paying your water and wastewater portion of your bill from Newmarket Hydro, you will not be charged any penalties or interest. Please contact Newmarket Hydro at 905-895-2309 for further information.

However, please note that Newmarket Hydro will charge penalties and interest for the Hydro (electricity) portion of the bill. Therefore, when you receive your Newmarket Hydro Bill, which includes both electricity and water and wastewater charges, you will see penalties and interests under the electricity portion of the bill.  

The Town of Newmarket is unable to mandate what Newmarket Hydro charges. 

1. Reducing water and wastewater charges by 4.69% on consumption (water usage) beginning May 1, 2020. 

a) Residents will see this reduction on their June/July 2020 bill. This is because water charges are based on previous month consumption. The water usage you use in May will be charged at a reduced rate and be reflected on your June/July 2020 bill depending on your billing cycle. 

2. No penalty or interest charges on late payments for the water and wastewater portion of the Newmarket Hydro Bill. Please note you will still see late charges and penalties on the electricity portion of your Newmarket Hydro Bill if you do not pay your bill on time. These charges are collected by Newmarket Hydro. The Town does not have the authority to override penalty and interest charged by Newmarket Hydro. 

Newmarket Hydro customers who pay 'Time of Use' electricity rates will be charged an off-peak rate of 10.1¢/kWh for all electricity usage, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This change is for a temporary period of 45 days. This change was made by the Province of Ontario on March 24, 2020 to assist residents when we are practicing safe social/physical distancing at home. 

As of May 6, this relief has been extended until May 31, 2020. 

For more information on electricity usage, please contact Newmarket Hydro at 905-895-2309.

Every municipality has its own set of rules and regulations that it must follow. For example, the City of Toronto is a single tier municipality and has more flexibility in its rules. The Town is a lower-tier municipality and must continue to coordinate property tax payments to the Regional Municipality of York and other government entities.

In order to ensure that services to our community are still provided, the Town is required to continue to collect property taxes and other payments. 

The Financial Relief Program is meant to provide those in need more time to make their payments. The Town is only waiving interest and penalties for non-payment of these charges until January 1, 2021. These amounts are still owed to the Town of Newmarket. If you can continue to make your payments, please do so in order to avoid a large balance owing to the Town by the end of the year. 

• Unsafe dwellings (ADUs or other) which will be referred to Central York Fire Services
• No heat
• No water
• Immediate concerns (e.g. significant flooding due to swale/drainage issues)

Now more than ever, we need to help each other out. Thanks to all who have offered to help the community during the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic. Here is how you can help these major community groups in Newmarket:

Newmarket Food Pantry

You can make an online donation to the Newmarket Food Pantry.  The Newmarket Food Pantry is able to purchase food directly from suppliers to meet the needs of the community. 

Inn from the Cold

Inn from the Cold offers various ways the community can assist. Please visit their donation page for more information.

Salvation Army – Northridge

Contact the Salvation Army – Central York Region Northridge directly to see how you can help them. You can also make an online donation to the Central York Region Northridge Community Church directly. If you or someone you know needs help, you can reach out to them as well.

United Way – Peel, Toronto and York Region

Make a donation online  to United Way (Peel, Toronto and York Region) to assist those in need during COVID-19. This donation will allow United Way to invest in resources that are needed the most. This includes basic needs for the community, help for seniors, community services and mental health support.

The Town of Newmarket is working with many local organizations who are helping to support the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on how you can help, please contact us at 905-895-5193.

All Town of Newmarket facilities and buildings are closed until further notice. Please see below for a full list of facilities and buildings. 

• Municipal Offices (395 Mulock Drive)
• Robert N. Shelton Operations Centre (1275 Maple Hill Court) 
• All Central York Fire Station Offices 
• Ray Twinney Recreation Complex (100 Eagle Street West)
• Magna Centre (800 Mulock Drive)
• NewRoads Performing Arts Centre / Newmarket Theatre (505 Pickering Crescent)
• Newmarket Seniors' Meeting Place (474 Davis Drive) 
• Newmarket Youth Centre & Sk8 Park (56 Charles Street) 
• Hollingsworth Arena (35 Patterson Street) 
• Old Town Hall (460 Botsford Street) 
• Elman W. Campbell Museum (134 Main Street South) 
• Newmarket's Community Centre and Lions Hall (200 Doug Duncan Drive) 
• Newmarket Public Library (438 Park Avenue)
  

To ensure that you have up to date information on any cancellation or postponement of Council, Committee of the Whole or Advisory Committee meetings visit newmarket.ca/meetings for current information.  

If public health officials' messaging change with respect to social/physical distancing, staff will work in consultation with the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer to resume meetings as soon as possible. Special Council meetings may be held electronically to support essential Town business and services as necessary.

Further updates on the Council schedule will be included at newmarket.ca/meetings as information becomes available.

• Paying online: Visit parking.newmarket.ca
• Call to make a payment: Call Customer Service at 905-895-5193 to make a payment over the phone using a credit card.
• Mail in your payment: You can mail a cheque to: Town of Newmarket, Customer Services, 395 Mulock Drive, PO Box 328, STN Main, Newmarket ON, L3Y 4X7. Please do not send cash in the mail. 
  

Anyone with an exemption request can contact the Town and we will evaluate on a case by case basis. We have no concerns with providing exemptions for people in need. You can contact the Town of Newmarket at 905-895-5193 or email info@newmarket.ca.

You will need to provide: 

• Your name
• Phone number
• Address where the vehicle is located
• Vehicle information (license plate, make, colour)
  

• Electronic Planning Applications
• Limited processing of Development and Committee of Adjustment Applications
• Pre-Consultation Meetings via Video Conferencing
• Building Permits and Inspection
  

• Social gatherings of more than five (5) people
• Trespassing outdoor recreational areas that are closed to the public (playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, pickleball courts, baseball diamonds, sport fields, the Newmarket Dog Park etc.) 

• Social gatherings of more than five (5) people
• Trespassing outdoor recreational areas that are closed to the public
  
• Closure of non-essential businesses
• Price gouging on necessary goods such as disinfectant products
  

Recently, the Town has received double the volume of calls and concerns from residents about dogs being off leash. What people may not initially realize is that an off-leash dog is a risk to physical distancing because it brings people together. For example, when a dog is off leash, it may approach another dog on-leash or even other people out for walks. The owner is then forced to approach the other person to retrieve their dog, causing an interaction with the other person/dog and inability to maintain physical distancing of at least 6ft, creating weariness for contact.

The Animal Control By-law requiring dogs to be on leash at all times on public property, with the exception of the Newmarket Dog Park, is an existing bylaw. Off-leash is not permitted anywhere on Town property at this time as the dog park is closed, and Municipal Bylaw Officers are set to issue fines starting at $400. As a first step, Bylaw Officers will continue to educate individuals on the importance of having their pets / dogs on a leash. If non-compliance continues, (e.g. clear signs being ignored, not complying once reminded of the rules), fines will be issued.

Watch the Town's Manager of Regulatory Services explain why it's important to keep your dog on a leash so that everyone can feel safe and enjoy public spaces in the video below.