July, 2007

CURRENT POSITION OF MAJOR PROVINCIAL POLITICAL PARTIES TOWARDS ASSESSMENT POLICY, AS A BASIS FOR PROPERTY TAXATION

                                   
Note: None of the Political parties have yet made formal packages available regarding property assessment, as part of their forthcoming election platform. Below are some current policies which have already been postulated.

Liberals: (Government at Present)

- last assessment completed 2005, by Municipal Property Assessment Corporation   (MPAC);
- believes Market Value Assessment (MVA), is the only method of producing “funding  stream” for municipalities;
- likely as much as sixty (60%) percent increase on properties by Nov. 2008;
- 2 year postponement of new assessment in progress, while MPAC implements 22 recommendations made by Ontario Ombudsman;
- 4 year cycle of phasing in new assessments proposed;
- downloading of costs to municipalities for services like welfare, roads and court costs
   etc. continues.

 Progressive Conservatives (P.C.):

- establish a five (5%) percent per year cap on assessment increase for as long as an    individual owns his or her home (including if a property is transferred to a spouse);
- ensuring MPAC fully implements the recommendations of the Ombudsman, and if the    serious problems identified by the Ombudsman have not been addressed, shutting    down MPAC and building a better model;
- addressing rural assessment inequalities that currently penalize Ontario
- using progressive leadership, rather than deferring corrections with an assessment freeze, that perpetuates hardship for Ontarians.
- implement a new reverse onus appeal system so MPAC will have to justify an   assessment increase instead of placing the burden of proof on the homeowner;

New Democratic Party (N.D.P.):

- believe in freeze on assessment increases until sale of property takes place;
- extensive province-wide fact-finding tour completed last year.