Elimination of Business Occupancy Assessment Tax
Q. What are the problems associated with tracking and collecting the Business Occupancy Assessment Tax(BOAT)?
A. Many businesses and municipal units consider this tax to be an outdated and inefficient method of collecting municipal revenues. Each year municipalites lost revenues for taxes that went uncollected. This cost is added to the tax burden of every business that does pay its taxes. The federal government, unlike the province of Nova Scotia, does not pay the BOAT. BOAT creates the perception of double property taxation on business. This hinders the province's attempts to establish a competitive environment for both retaining and attracting businesses.
Q. What is the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities' (UNSM's) goal in eliminating the Business Occupancy Assessment Tax (BOAT)?
A. The UNSM has partnered with the province of Nova Scotia to establish a municipal tax system whereby a single transparent tax, based on property market value, is the basis for generating the commercial tax revenues necessary to provide municipal services.
The elimination of the BOAT was one of the UNSM long-term strategic goals.
Q. When will business occupancy assessments and the Business Occupancy Assessment Tax cease?
A. The legislation defines different schedules for the phase out of business occupancy assessments and the Business Occupancy Assessment Tax, depending on the type of business. The following table gives the schedule of the phase-out by category of business.
| Business Occupancy Assessment Category | Types of Business | The business occupancy assessment phase-out schedule |
| 25% Category | hotels, motels, restaurants, campgrounds, service stations and motor vehicle dealerships | 2006 |
| 75% Category | financial institutions such as banks, trust companies, insurance companies, credit unions, loan or investment companies | 2013 |
| 50% Category | all other businesses (ex.retail outlets, professional offices and services, manufacturing, home-based business, and spaces that are licensed under the Liquor Control Act as a cabaret, tavern, beverage room or lounge) | 2005 50% 2006 40% 2007 30% 2008 20% 2009 10% 2010 0% (eliminated) |
Q. I'm not sure which of these categories my business fits into. How can I find out?
A. Contact us. Our staff will be happy to assist you.
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