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Property tax reform a by-election issue says CAPTR

News release re: February 8 Ontario by-elections

January 10, 2007

TORONTO /CNW/ — The Coalition After Property Tax Reform, (CAPTR), a one-million member Ontario-wide citizens' group, says it will be taking the fight for property tax reform to the streets in three Ontario by-elections called today for February 8th.

CAPTR is fighting for a 5 per cent cap on annual property assessment increases and major reforms to the property tax system in Ontario. CAPTR represents 700 ratepayer groups with more than a million members across Ontario.

"We helped highlight the unfairness of the current property tax system in last year's Parkdale-High Park provincial by-election, and we'll be doing the same thing in Burlington, York South-Weston and Markham between now and by-election day," says CAPTR spokesperson Bob Topp.

"While the provincial government has frozen property assessment increases until after this October's general election, we continue to fight for a permanent 5 per cent cap on increases after the freeze comes off," adds Topp.

"We believe this is a fair and reasonable goal, one shared by a significant majority of Ontarians, 65 percent 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," concludes Topp.

For further information: Bob Topp, (416) 929-9885

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