Fergus, Ont. man feels nickel-and-dimed for $0.05 property tax bill
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
It’s not uncommon to hear people complain about taxes, but one man is speaking out because the bill is so low.
“Really? Five cents? Someone sent a bill for five cents?” said Blake Kent, recalling his reaction when he first saw the bill.
He is the board’s treasurer for the freehold townhouse condo complex his lives in. The recent property tax bill is addressed to the property manager and is for shared spaces like the walkway and parkette. The property manager did pay up.
“They actually sent a cheque for five cents,” said Kent.
Property owners in this subdivision pay their own individual tax bills, but he wasn’t previously aware of tax payments for common areas.
“There is a clause in the Condominium Act that does permit the billing of common elements,” said Kent.
Given the amount is so low, he feels it’s a waste of resources and hopes the account is eventually closed since it’s less than $1. With a background in finance, he said that’s something he saw done often when he was working.
“This is ridiculous. The cost of the paper the cost of the envelope and the 51 cents or whatever Canada Post is charging for first-class mail,” said Kent.
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Township of Centre Wellington said it is the responsibility of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) to determine property valuation.
“As a township, we are solely responsible for the levying of property taxes based on MPAC property assessment data, and to do so in fair an equitable manner for all properties within the Township, regardless of valuation. We have notified MPAC of this valuation matter,” the statement reads, in part.
The spokesperson also reiterated it is the responsibility of the property manager to pay the tax bill as presented.
MPAC said for inquiries about property tax bills, the issuing and collecting municipality should be contacted directly.
An emailed statement from MPAC reads: “According to the Condominium Act, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is required to describe a common element condo plan separately by its own roll number, as they are considered parcels. In conjunction with the Assessment Act, a nominal assessment value is applied to these property types (i.e., used for private roads, parks, and other similar spaces) as the value of the property would already be captured in the assessment of the associated freehold properties.”
Despite the township saying they have notified MPAC, it is unclear whether this $0.05 bi-annual property tax bill will eventually be waived.
That means for the year, Kent is expecting property management to pay a grand total of $0.10 in property taxes for the common spaces.
He said, it gives quite a literal meaning to the term nickel-and-diming and hopes his gripe prompts some discussion.
“Hey boss, should we be sending out tax notices for a nickel?”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.