Lanark District 29

Political Action

(click on the headings below to view information) 

Political Action Committee (PAC) report

Appealing Your Property Assessment

Senior Homeowner's Property Tax Grant

Provincial Position Papers

Political Action Committee (PAC)

At a recent meeting of our Executive, a Political Action Committee was formed to support our Representative, Sherle Perkins. The Committee is made up of Shirley Kelford, Grace Armstrong and Ann McGahey. The Committee hopes to support the work of the Provincial PAC, as well as to represent the interests of our local members.

The Provincial PAC is presently monitoring such issues as Fair Market Value Assessment, LHIN (Local Health Integration Networks) decisions, doctor shortages, wait times, funding for home care and long term care facilities. They are very busy advocating on our members' behalf.

Our local PAC decided at our first meeting to look into the following issues: doctor shortages, home care for seniors, standards in nursing homes and affordable housing for seniors. We would like to hear from you, our members, about any issue you think should be addressed by our PAC. Contact any of the members of the Committee with your suggestions or concerns.

Sherle Perkins - 613 267 2730
Shirley Kelford - 613 267 5861 email

Ann McGahey - 613 283 2147email

Grace Armstrong - 613 257 3497 email

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Appealing Your Property Assessment

In April 2008 RTO/ERO issued a position paper on Current Value Assessment.
The paper states “The current system of property taxation in Ontario is not acceptable.  Assessments are rising; property taxes are skyrocketing.  Current Value Assessment is creating major problems for Ontario property taxpayers…RTO/ERO believes the government must act immediately to ensure that:

• A transparent, fair and just system of assessing properties is established,
• The method for review of the government’s assessment process is fair and uncomplicated, and
• People will not be forced to sell their property because they cannot afford to pay their taxes.”

 

In the fall of 2008 homeowners across Ontario received notice of their new property assessment value. The property assessment system has introduced a four-year phased-in assessment increase which will take effect for the 2009 property tax year.  Under this new system residential assessments will increase on average 20 per cent across Ontario over the four-year period from 2009 to 2012 or about five per cent per year.

 The Government has established  the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) to deal with requests from homeowners who wish to appeal their assessments. Any assessment appeal must be filed through a Request for Reconsideration proposal by March 31, 2009.  It is the mandatory first step in the appeal process and it is up to MPAC and not the appellant to prove that the assessment is correct.

To establish your property’s assessed value, MPAC analyses property sales in your community to determine the Current Value Assessment.  When assessing a property MPAC looks at all the key features that affect market value.  Five major factors usually account for 85% of the value: location; lot dimensions; living area; age of the structure(s), adjusted for any major renovations or additions; and quality of construction.  Examples of other features that may affect your property’s value include: number of bathrooms; fireplaces; finished basements; garages and pools.  Site features can also increase or decrease the assessed value of your property such as traffic patterns; being situated on a corner lot; and proximity to a golf course, hydro corridor; railway or green space.

Comparing your assessment to similar properties in your area will help you determine its accuracy.  You can obtain information about your property and information on up to 24 additional properties of your choice and up to six selected by MPAC, free of charge. 

There are several ways to contact MPAC:

• Visit AboutMyProperty at www.mpac.ca and enter the personalized User ID and Password included on your Assessment Notice;
• Telephone MPAC  at 1-866-296-6722;
• Write MPAC

  Attention: GRAD
               P O Box 9808
               Toronto ON M1S 5T9

• There will also be an MPAC office in your municipality or county which you may visit without an appointment,

NOTE: It has been reported that it is difficult to get through to MPAC by telephone or computer, but that staff at MPAC offices are approachable and helpful if you visit in person.



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New Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant

Beginning in 2009, the Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant will be provided to help eligible senior homeowners with low and moderate incomes to pay their property taxes.

This applies to senior couples with $250 or more in property taxes in 2008 and incomes up to $60,000.

Single seniors with $250 or more in property taxes in 2008 and incomes up to $50,000 may also apply.  The grant is proportional to the amount of income.

To receive the 2009 grant on December 31, 2008, an applicant:

• must own and occupy a principal residence in Ontario, for which he or she must have paid property taxes in 2008, and
• must be at least 64 years old.

      With the new grant, most eligible seniors will receive more property tax relief than under the current system.  Senior homeowners who already receive full property tax relief through the Ontario Tax Credits (OTCs) will continue to do so through the combination of grant and credit.

     Applications for the 2009 grant and the OTCs will be contained in the 2008 personal income tax returns (Form ON 479), available in early 2009.

    For information on the new grant or the OTCs, call 1-800-337-7222 or 1-800-263-7776 for TTYbetween 8.30 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Senior Homeowner's Property Tax Grant (PDF) developed by the Ontario Ministry of Revenue can be downloaded from RTO/ERO Provincial Website.

http://www.rto-ero.org

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Provincial Government Position Papers, Provincial Executive Priorities, Strategic Plan

These position papers are available on the RTO/ERO Web site members only website:

www.rto-ero.org/

Documents available on-line (PDF)
May 2007

If you do not have Acrobat Reader, please click on the Adobe link:

Position Papers are listed below;

1. Current Value Assessment
2. Education
3. The Environment
4. Health
5. Key Elements of RTO/ERO's Strategic Plan
6. Local Health Integration Networks (LHNs)
7. Long-term care and Home care
8. Provincial Executive priorities for 2007
9. Seniors
10. Municipal Infrastructure Deficit
11. National Pharmaceutical Strategy (also see the background paper)
12. PET Scans
13. Sale of Drugs

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