Fourteen Thunder Bay properties are heading to public auction on June 29, 2026, as the city moves to recover back taxes. Property owners still have time to pay their outstanding bills before the sale, but anyone who doesn’t act could lose their land or building.
The City of Thunder Bay is accepting sealed bids until 3:00 p.m. at the Revenue Division office at 501-34 Cumberland Street North. Bids will then be opened in public at 4:30 p.m. at the West Arthur Community Centre on 1914 Arthur Street West.
The properties are spread all over the city, from a residential lot with an assessed value of just $500 at 4310 Willard Avenue (minimum tender $3,883.37) in the north end to a heavy industrial waterfront parcel at 550 Shipyard Drive. That industrial site has an assessed value of $1.755 million, and the minimum tender is $2,351,178.09. A downtown property at 417 Donald Street West is also on the list.
Overall, the city says 307 property owners owe more than $3 million in unpaid taxes from the 2023 tax season. But Revenue Director Kathleen Cannon says the tax sale is an effective way to collect what’s owed. “Typically, 98 per cent of properties are paid before that tax sale happens,” she has said.
To bid, you must include a deposit of at least 20 per cent by certified cheque, bank draft, or money order made out to the municipality. If you win, you’ll need to pay the full tender plus any accumulated taxes, land transfer tax, and for non-residential properties, HST. The city also warns that it will not guarantee vacant possession—so a buyer might have to deal with tenants or other occupants.
Last year’s sale drew strong interest. An older home at 310 Dewe Avenue sold for $156,500 even though the minimum tender was only $19,060.25. However, some properties got no bids at all, a sign that the minimum price can sometimes be more than the market value.
Property owners who want to stop the sale should call the city’s Revenue Division at (807) 625-2255 before the deadline. The sale follows rules laid out in Ontario’s Municipal Act, and the city runs just one such auction each year, always in June.
