British Columbia municipalities offer qualifying properties with delinquent property taxes for sale through public auction. Explore current opportunities, compare available properties and learn how the BC tax-sale process works before you bid.
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Tax-sale opportunities are published by municipalities throughout British Columbia. Finding them individually can mean searching municipal websites and public notices across the province.
Tax Sales Hub provides a centralized way to browse tax-sale opportunities from multiple British Columbia municipalities and research properties that may interest you.
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British Columbia’s annual municipal tax sale is held at 10:00 a.m. on the last Monday in September, unless that Monday is a holiday.
Individual municipalities determine which eligible properties will actually proceed to auction. Properties may be removed from the sale if the required outstanding amounts are paid before the auction.
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When property taxes remain delinquent, qualifying properties can eventually be offered for sale by the municipality through BC’s annual tax-sale process.
A property can become eligible for the municipal tax-sale process after property taxes remain unpaid according to the timelines established under British Columbia law.
Municipalities publish information about properties scheduled for tax sale before the auction.
Each property has an upset price, which is the minimum amount for which the property can be sold.
Eligible properties are offered by public auction. The highest bidder above the upset price, or a bidder at the upset price if there is no higher bid, is declared the purchaser.
The successful purchaser is required to pay the purchase price immediately according to the municipality’s sale requirements.
BC tax-sale properties are generally subject to a one-year redemption period.
During this period, the former owner or another eligible party may redeem the property by paying the amounts required under BC law.
If the property is not redeemed within the applicable redemption period, the municipality proceeds with the process required to register the purchaser as the property’s owner.
One of the most important numbers when researching a BC tax-sale property is its upset price.
The upset price is the minimum price at which the property can be sold at the tax sale.
The $24,000 upset price does not mean the property will necessarily sell for $24,000.
The final purchase price depends on bidding at the public auction. A property attracting significant interest could sell substantially above its upset price.
Never assume that the difference between a property’s assessed or estimated value and its upset price represents an available profit.
Tax-sale opportunities can appear in municipalities throughout BC.
Rather than searching individual municipal websites one by one, Tax Sales Hub allows you to browse opportunities from multiple municipalities in one place and identify properties you may want to investigate further.
Use Tax Sales Hub to explore available British Columbia properties and identify opportunities for further research.
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Winning the auction does not necessarily mean you can immediately treat the property like a conventional real estate purchase.
British Columbia generally provides a one-year redemption period beginning on the day of the annual tax sale.
During that period, an eligible owner or registered charge holder can redeem the property by paying the amounts required under the Local Government Act.
If the property is successfully redeemed, the tax-sale purchaser receives the amounts to which they are entitled under the applicable legislation rather than ultimately receiving title to the property.
If the property is not redeemed within the applicable period, the municipality proceeds with the required title-registration process.
Buying at a BC tax sale should not be treated as an immediate transfer of an ordinary, vacant property. Understand the redemption process before participating.
Tax sales attract interest because the upset price can sometimes be significantly lower than a property’s apparent market or assessed value.
However, potential buyers should evaluate the property and the legal transaction, not simply the difference between two numbers.
Before bidding, prospective purchasers should consider investigating:
A low upset price does not automatically make a property a good purchase. Research the property and the applicable municipal sale conditions before bidding.
There are two primary ways to research opportunities.
BC municipalities publish their own tax-sale notices and auction information.
This provides information directly from the municipality, but researching opportunities across the province can require monitoring many different municipal websites.
Tax Sales Hub consolidates tax-sale opportunities into a searchable resource, making it easier to identify properties across different municipalities that you may want to investigate further.
Browse BC opportunities in one place and identify properties you may want to research.
Free account required to unlock full property information.
Affiliate Disclosure: Canadian Tax Sales may earn a commission if you purchase products or services through links on this page. This does not increase the price you pay.
BC’s annual municipal tax sale is generally held at 10:00 a.m. on the last Monday in September. If that Monday is a holiday, the legislation provides for the sale to be held on the following Monday that is not a holiday.
The 2026 annual tax-sale date is Monday, September 28, 2026, subject to the rules applicable to individual municipalities and properties.
The minimum amount is known as the upset price. It incorporates specified outstanding taxes, penalties, interest, an additional statutory amount and applicable fees.
Generally, the highest bidder above the upset price is declared the purchaser. If there is a bid at the upset price and no higher bid, that bidder can be declared the purchaser.
BC’s municipal tax-sale rules require the purchaser to immediately pay the collector the purchase price. Prospective bidders should check the specific municipality’s accepted payment methods and auction requirements before attending.
A tax-sale purchase is subject to BC’s redemption process. The applicable legislation generally provides a one-year redemption period before title ultimately transfers to the purchaser if the property is not redeemed.
Yes. During the applicable redemption period, eligible parties can redeem the property by paying the amounts required under BC law.
Yes. A property scheduled for tax sale may not ultimately be auctioned if the outstanding amounts are resolved before the sale. Always confirm the current status directly with the municipality.
You can view certain information through Tax Sales Hub, but a free account is required to unlock full property information.
Creating an account to access the available free features is free. Some additional Tax Sales Hub products or services may require payment.
No. Prospective purchasers should investigate title, property condition, access, occupancy, zoning, registered interests and the municipality’s sale conditions before bidding.
Browse current and upcoming British Columbia tax-sale opportunities, compare available property information and identify properties you may want to investigate further.
Free account required to unlock full property information.
Create a free account with Tax Sales Hub to unlock full property information and research available BC tax-sale opportunities.
Affiliate Disclosure: Canadian Tax Sales may earn a commission if you purchase products or services through links on this page. This does not increase the price you pay.
For authoritative information about the British Columbia municipal tax-sale process, consult:
Visitors should verify property availability, auction requirements and payment instructions directly with the municipality conducting the sale.
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CanadianTaxSales.ca is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with or operated by the Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia, any municipality, or Tax Sales Hub.
Information is provided for general educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, financial, real estate or investment advice. Tax-sale information can change, and prospective purchasers should independently verify property information and sale requirements with the municipality conducting the sale.
