Florida could slash property taxes – but not for Canadian snowbirds

Voters across the United States will go to polls in the midterm elections on Nov. 3, but Florida voters will also cast their ballots on a question that affects Canadian snowbirds – whether to significantly cut property taxes.

The question is a part of a proposal from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to amend the state’s constitution, called Amendment 3.

Currently, Florida tax law gives residents or “homesteaders” something called a homestead tax exemption. This cuts up to US$51,411 of taxable value from the assessed value of your home.

If the vote passes with a 60 per cent supermajority on Nov. 3, this homestead exemption would be raised to US$150,000 in 2027 and US$250,000 in 2028. Starting in 2029, the value of a Florida resident’s home shielded from tax exemptions will rise automatically every year, with the limit being indexed to inflation.

DeSantis has indicated that he intends to raise taxes on “residential, Airbnb, Canadian snowbirds, commercial” properties to make up for the shortfall, he told Fox Business earlier this year.

“That’s a lot of money that they have,” DeSantis said.

In a March press conference, DeSantis said he wants “Canadian tourists and Brazilian tourists subsidizing the state.”

“I don’t want to give Canadians a tax cut,” he said.

The eventual goal is the full elimination of property taxes, since the amendment would require the legislature to prepare “a schedule for full elimination.”

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The move could cause a tax shortfall of US$12 billion for municipalities, nonprofit tax research group Florida TaxWatch estimates.

Advocates are warning of service cuts across cities and towns in Florida for everything from fire departments, police and the ability to fight against mosquito-borne diseases.

“If this amendment passes, every Florida community will face critical shortfalls,” an advocacy coalition called Vote No on 3 says on its website.

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For Canadian snowbirds, it is important to understand what is actually on the ballot and how these changes will affect their properties, said Evan Rachkovsky, spokesperson for the Canadian Snowbirds Association.

“The constitutional amendment voters will consider (on Nov. 3) is a much more measured approach than what was originally proposed,” Rachkovsky said.

Typically, property taxes for non-homesteaders, including Canadians, go up around one to two per cent annually, but the increases are capped at 10 per cent.

The amendment lowers the cap to five per cent.

“This provides property owners with greater predictability and limits how quickly their assessments can increase,” Rachkovsky added.

Canadians are the single largest group of foreign buyers in the Florida real estate market, accounting for 37.8 per cent of all international demand in the first three months of 2026, according to Florida Realtors data.

In some communities, as many as seven out of 10 foreign buyers were Canadian.

However, data suggests Canadian snowbirds are turning away from the U.S.

According to a 2025 Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) most Canadians said they would skip U.S. travel in the winter, with only 26 per cent saying they will head south – a 37 per cent drop from 2024.

The pullback is sharpest among baby boomers, traditionally the snowbird generation, with only 10 per cent planning U.S. trips, the report said, noting that this is a 66 per cent decline compared with 2024.

The Sunshine State is also getting the cold shoulder from Canadian tourists.

In the final three months of 2025, Florida saw a 13.1 per cent drop in visits from Canadians compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from Visit Florida.