(This post originally appeared in my Substack newsletter.)
The Vacant Unit Tax declaration portal is once again open on ottawa.ca. If you’re an Ottawa property owner, remember to take a few minutes to complete your declaration ahead of the deadline. (Declarations are required annually.)
Email reminders, using declaration contact information from the previous year, and paper notices are scheduled to be distributed soon to property owners. The declaration deadline is March 19, 2026.
Introduced in 2022, the Vacant Unit Tax is meant to encourage homeowners to maintain, occupy, or rent their properties, thereby increasing the housing supply. It’s one of the tools the City of Ottawa is using to address the affordable housing crisis. Revenue from this tax is used to support affordable housing initiatives.
And so far, it appears to be working.
The City publishes an annual report each fall on the program, but because of the long timeline allowing for audits and appeals, there’s a lag in reporting. The report published in 2025 includes data for the 2023 occupancy year, and it’s the first time we have year-over-year data to compare.
- There were 4,140 vacant units identified in 2023 – about 1.2% of all homes in Ottawa.
- “Units” includes single and semi-detached homes, townhomes, condos, and multi-family buildings up to six units. (Larger apartment buildings are not included.)
- Between 2022 and 2023, at least 1,602 previously-vacant units were returned to the housing market, increasing housing supply.
- The declarations identified 2,067 properties that remained vacant for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.
- The VUT program generated $14.3 million in 2023, an increase of $2.5 million from 2022. After administrative expenses of $1.85 million, net proceeds were directed to the Affordable Housing reserve.
- In Stittsville, 87 of 17,435 homes were vacant, or 0.84%, a bit lower than in 2022.
Another data point that’s significant: In 2024, the third year of the program, 99.7% of property owners completed their declaration. An excellent response rate.
Related: New data on housing tenure in Ottawa