Toronto’s vacant home tax will remain but undergo significant changes for 2024 after facing challenges from councillors and public criticism due to errors in billing and confusion over occupancy status declarations. Late fees for undeclared occupancy will be waived, and refunds will be issued to those who paid for 2023. Mayor Olivia Chow takes responsibility for the flawed program, pledging improvements.

Approximately 167,000 homes were deemed vacant, prompting revisions to make reporting user-friendly, especially for vulnerable groups like seniors. Proposed changes include utilizing utility usage data to determine vacancy and improving communication. Despite calls to scrap the tax, the mayor aims to rectify its implementation and acknowledges the need for effective communication and collaboration with city staff.