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New Citizens' Coalition to Fight for Property Tax Reform

April 27, 2006

TORONTO — A new province-wide citizens' coalition has been formed to fight for a 5 per cent cap on annual property assessment increases and reforms to the property tax system in Ontario. The "Coalition After Property Tax Reform", (CAPTR), represents 700 ratepayer groups with hundreds of thousands of members across Ontario.

"Our mission is simple: to build a powerful, province-wide coalition of Ontario residents for the purpose of lobbying the provincial government to cap annual property assessment increases at 5 per cent to reduce volatility in property taxes," says CAPTR spokesperson Bob Topp.

"We believe this is a fair and reasonable goal, one shared by a significant majority of Ontarians, 65 per-cent of whom are property owners", Topp adds.

An Ipsos Reid survey done for one of CAPTRs member organizations shows that nearly 8 out of 10 Ontarians agree that "it is reasonable to put a cap on the rate of residential property tax increases all across Ontario."

"We're not asking for a rollback. We're not asking for a freeze. We're simply asking for a limit to the rate of annual increase in assessment."

CAPTR predicts that if assessments, (carried out by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, or MPAC), continue their unpredictable and often double-digit gallop, property ownership in many parts of Ontario will become something only the rich can afford.

More than half the assessments delivered to Ontario property owners last fall for this taxation year increased by over 10% and one fifth were up over 20%. Some individual property owners have actually received assessment increases of more than 100 per cent.

In Toronto, assessments rose by an average of 12 per cent. In some wards increases averaged close to 20% while in others 5% was the norm.

CAPTR wants annual assessment increases capped at 5%, with the 2004 assessment as a base.This would reduce the volatility inherent in the present system, while allowing assessments to rise in line with long term real estate market values.

CAPTR plans to survey all MPPs to determine whether or not they support a cap on annual assessment increases and announce the results in the fall.

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