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TaxSalesPortal is Canada's comprehensive platform for tax sale property listings. We aggregate tax sale listings from municipalities across all 10 provinces into one searchable database, enriched with MPAC assessments, historical sales data, and GIS information. Our goal is to save investors time and help them make informed bidding decisions.

Creating an account is free and takes less than a minute:

1. Click "Get Started" in the top navigation
2. Enter your email address and create a password
3. Verify your email address
4. Start browsing properties immediately

You can browse all listings for free. Premium features like tender form generation and advanced analytics are available with a paid subscription.

Yes! We offer a free tier that includes:

• Browse all active tax sale listings
• View basic property information
• Access our educational guides
• Save up to 5 properties to your watchlist

Premium subscriptions unlock additional features like MPAC assessments, historical sales data, tender form generation, and unlimited watchlist saves. View our pricing for details.

We aggregate data from multiple official sources:

• Tax sale listings: Directly from municipal websites and provincial gazettes
• Property assessments: MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) in Ontario
• Historical sales: Public land registry records
• GIS data: Provincial databases for zoning, wetlands, and boundaries

Our data is updated daily to ensure accuracy and timeliness.

A tax sale occurs when a property owner fails to pay property taxes for an extended period (typically 2-3 years). The municipality seizes the land and sells it to recover the unpaid taxes. These properties are often sold at prices significantly below market value because the minimum bid is usually based on the tax arrears, not the property's actual worth.

The redemption period is a window of time after you purchase a tax sale property during which the original owner can reclaim their property by paying all outstanding taxes, penalties, and your purchase costs plus interest. Redemption periods vary by province:

• Alberta: No redemption period (immediate ownership)
• Ontario: 1 year
• British Columbia: 1 year
• Saskatchewan: 6 months
• Nova Scotia: 6 months

During this period, you cannot take possession or make changes to the property.

Sealed Tender (Ontario):

• Submit your bid in a sealed envelope before the deadline
• All bids are opened at the same time
• Highest bidder wins
• You don't know what others are bidding

Public Auction (Most other provinces):

• Live bidding event (in-person or online)
• You can see competing bids in real-time
• Bidding continues until no one raises
• More competitive but transparent

Properties end up in tax sales for various reasons:

• Financial hardship: Job loss, medical bills, or economic downturns
• Estate issues: Inherited properties with unclear ownership or disputes
• Absentee ownership: Owners who moved away and forgot about the property
• Abandoned properties: Properties no longer wanted by the owner
• Investment gone wrong: Speculative purchases that didn't pan out

Yes, generally anyone can participate in tax sales, including:

• Canadian citizens and residents
• Foreign investors (some restrictions may apply)
• Corporations and businesses
• First-time buyers

However, in most provinces, the original property owner and their immediate family members are excluded from bidding. Always check the specific rules for each municipality.

To submit a tender bid in Ontario, you need to prepare a physical package:

1. Form 7 (Tender to Purchase): A standardized government form with your bid amount
2. Deposit: A bank draft or certified cheque for at least 20% of your bid
3. Return label: Glued to the outside of your sealed envelope
4. Mail or hand-deliver to the municipal office before the deadline

Pro tip: TaxSalesPortal's Tender Wizard can generate all required documents for you instantly, saving hours of paperwork.

Form 7 is the official "Tender to Purchase" form required by Ontario municipalities for tax sale bids. It includes:

• Property details (roll number, address, lot description)
• Your bid amount
• Your personal information
• Declaration that you're not the original owner
• Your signature

The form must be filled out accurately—errors can disqualify your bid.

In Ontario (tender sales): Minimum 20% of your bid amount, submitted as a bank draft or certified cheque.

For auctions: Deposit requirements vary by province and municipality, typically ranging from $5,000 to 10% of the expected sale price. Check the specific auction terms.

Important: If you win and fail to complete the purchase, you forfeit your entire deposit.

If you're the highest bidder:

1. You'll be notified by the municipality (usually within 14 days)
2. You have 14 days to pay the remaining balance:
   • Bid amount minus your deposit
   • Land Transfer Tax
   • Any accumulated taxes since the listing
3. The deed is registered in your name
4. Redemption period begins (if applicable)

Warning: Failure to complete payment means you lose your deposit.

If you're not the winning bidder, your deposit will be returned to you within a few weeks. There's no penalty for losing a bid—you simply get your money back. This is why it's often worth bidding on multiple properties to increase your chances of success.

Your bid should be based on:

• Market value: Research comparable sales in the area
• Condition estimate: Factor in potential repairs (remember, you can't inspect inside)
• Your investment goals: Flip, rent, or hold?
• Risk tolerance: Account for unknowns
• Competition level: Popular areas attract more bidders

A common strategy is to bid 50-70% of estimated market value to leave room for unexpected costs.

Mostly, yes. Under the Municipal Act, a Tax Deed wipes out most encumbrances including:

• Mortgages
• Mechanic's liens
• Most private liens and charges

However, Crown Interests survive:

• Federal and provincial government debts
• Tax liens from other levels of government
• Environmental cleanup orders

Always conduct a title search before bidding to identify any Crown interests.

Crown interests are debts owed to provincial or federal governments that "survive" a tax sale. Common examples include:

• Unpaid HST/GST
• Outstanding income taxes
• Environmental remediation orders
• Utility arrears from government utilities

If you purchase a property with Crown interests, you inherit those debts. This can turn a "great deal" into a financial disaster.

Yes, during the redemption period. To redeem the property, the original owner must pay:

• All outstanding taxes and penalties
• Your full purchase price
• Interest (typically 10-15% per year)
• Any registration fees you paid

If redeemed, you get your money back with interest. Redemption rates vary significantly—some properties are almost never redeemed, while others (especially with structures) are more likely to be reclaimed.

While not legally required, we strongly recommend consulting a real estate lawyer, especially for:

• Title searches and Crown interest verification
• Understanding municipal-specific rules
• Complex properties (multi-unit, commercial)
• Your first few tax sale purchases

A lawyer can also help you understand the tax implications and ensure proper registration of the deed.

No. Tax sale properties are sold "As Is, Where Is." The municipality does not own the property until the deed transfers, so they cannot grant access. Entering the property without permission is trespassing and could get you in legal trouble.

Instead, we recommend:

• Drive-by viewing to assess exterior condition
• Talk to neighbors (if appropriate)
• Use Google Street View for historical images
• Check our GIS maps for lot boundaries

You inherit the property in its current state, including any environmental contamination. If the land is contaminated (e.g., former gas station, industrial use), you could be responsible for expensive cleanup costs.

Before bidding on any property:

• Check the zoning history (was it ever industrial?)
• Look for underground storage tank symbols on maps
• Research the property's past use
• Consider the Provincial Brownfields Registry

Warning: Cleanup costs can exceed the property value many times over.

Conduct a thorough title search through:

• Ontario Land Registry: OnLand (teraview.ca)
• Personal Property Security Registration: PPSA search
• Municipal office: Outstanding work orders, building permits
• Utilities: Check for utility arrears

TaxSalesPortal provides some of this information in our property reports, but we always recommend independent verification for significant purchases.

Essential due diligence checklist:

Use our property search to filter properties:

• Location: Filter by province, city, or municipality
• Price range: Set minimum and maximum bid amounts
• Property type: Residential, vacant land, commercial
• Deadline: Sort by upcoming closing dates
• Keyword search: Search by address, PIN, or roll number

Premium users can also filter by assessment value, lot size, and more advanced criteria.

Click the heart icon on any property listing to save it to your watchlist. From your dashboard, you can:

• View all saved properties
• Add notes to each property
• Receive deadline reminders
• Track status changes

Free users can save up to 5 properties. Premium subscribers have unlimited watchlist saves.

Our Tender Wizard (Premium feature) generates all required documents:

1. Select a property from your watchlist
2. Enter your bid amount and personal details
3. Click "Generate Documents"
4. Download your completed Form 7, deposit slip, and mailing label
5. Print, sign, and mail with your certified cheque

This saves hours of paperwork and ensures your forms are correctly filled out.

We update our database daily by scanning municipal websites and provincial gazettes. However, please note:

• Some municipalities update their listings less frequently
• Properties can be withdrawn at any time
• Always verify with the municipality before submitting a bid

Each listing shows when it was last verified and includes a direct link to the official municipal source.

We accept:

• Visa, Mastercard, American Express
• Debit cards with Visa/MC logo

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. We never store your full credit card details.

Yes, you can cancel anytime from your account settings. Your subscription will remain active until the end of your current billing period. No refunds are provided for partial months, but you won't be charged again after cancellation.

We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee on all paid subscriptions. If you're not satisfied within the first 7 days, contact us for a full refund. After 7 days, refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis. See our Refund Policy for details.

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to Settings → Billing
3. Click "Update Payment Method"
4. Enter your new card details

Your new card will be used for future charges. All payment data is handled securely by Stripe.

To delete your account:

1. Cancel any active subscription first
2. Go to Settings → Account
3. Click "Delete Account"
4. Confirm deletion

Note: Account deletion is permanent. All your saved properties, notes, and history will be erased and cannot be recovered.