Government of New Brunswick

Freeze - Value for taxation - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the one-year freeze on the value for taxation?

The one-year freeze on the amount of the assessment on real property (value for taxation) is applied to all eligible properties including residential owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied properties, and non-residential properties, including heavy industrial properties.

Why is the freeze necessary?

Government has committed to overhauling the property tax system. This process includes a review of the centralized property assessment and tax system, with the goal of having a more predictable, transparent, stable, and fair system for the 2027 taxation year and beyond.

This freeze is an interim measure to help mitigate property tax increases due to rising assessments while the system is under review.

Is the freeze applicable to both the real and true (market) value and the value for taxation?

No. The freeze applies to the 2026 value for taxation (the value used for calculating property taxes) which will remain the same as the 2025 value for taxation, except in the following circumstances:

  • New construction with or without a building permit being issued;
  • Major improvements with or without a building permit being issued;
  • Errors in any part of the assessment of the property;
  • Sales or transfers of properties, except those prescribed by regulation;
  • A change in the actual or bona fide use of the real property or its classification;
  • Real property in whole or in part omitted from an assessment of real property for the 2026 taxation year; and,
  • A decrease in the amount of the assessment on real property.

Where there has been no change to the property (no construction, change in use, error correction, or sale), property owners will see the same value for taxation for 2026 as they did in 2025.

The real and true (market) values continued to be calculated for 2026. Property owners who disagree with their real and true (market) value may file a request for review online or by calling 1-888-762-8600. The deadline to file this request for the 2026 taxation year is February 18.

What is the impact on the public?

90% of property owners will see their 2026 value for taxation remain the same as the 2025 value for taxation.

The one-year freeze applies to the 2026 taxation year with the value for taxation (the value used for calculating property taxes) remaining at the 2025 level, except in certain circumstances. For example: if an eligible property’s real and true (market) value was $200,000 in 2025 and the value for taxation was $190,000, the value for taxation will remain at $190,000 in 2026. In essence, the value for taxation is being paused for the 2026 taxation year at the 2025 amount.

However, if local government property tax rates change, then the overall property tax amount owing may change.

The real and true (market) value continued to be assessed by Service New Brunswick during the freeze. Assessors continued to perform their work, including gathering updated property data through reinspection.

Property assessment notices are mailed in January.  Property owners who disagree with their real and true (market) value may file a request for review online or by calling 1-888-762-8600. The deadline to file this request for the 2026 taxation year is February 18.

Property tax notices, or bills, showing the amount owing for provincial and local taxes will be mailed March 2.

What will happen when the freeze conculdes?

For 2027, Property Assessment Services will continue to assess properties at their real and true (market) value as of January 1 of the preceding year.

The spike protection mechanism is in place to protect all eligible properties from assessment growth increases where any increase greater than 10 percent is phased in over time, protecting property owners from large increases in their value for taxation for 2027 onward.