2007 Current Value Assessment and Property Tax
Tax rates are applied to the current value assessment of each property as determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. Frequent questions concerning property assessments and taxes are answered below.
If you have any questions about your municipal property taxes or municipal tax rates, please contact the Town of Huntsville Finance Department at (705) 789-1751 ext 2245 or 1-888-696-4255, by fax at (705) 789-6689, or by e-mail at
proptaxes@huntsville.ca
1. Who is the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation or MPAC?
2. When are notices of reassessment provided?
3. How does MPAC establish the assessed value of my property?
4. How can I find out the assessed value of properties similar to mine?
5. I purchased my property in 2006. Shouldn't my assessed value be the same as the purchase price?
6. What do we mean by assessment growth?
7. What is the tax ratio for Commercial and Industrial properties?
8. Does the Town retain 100% of the taxes I pay?
9. How much did my tax increase over last year?
10. How does the combined increase in Huntsville compare to the other Muskoka Municipalities? (Source: OPTA, 2007 Overall Levy Changes, combined District, Municipality and Provincial Tax Rate)
11. What are the Residential Tax Rates of 3 urban Muskoka Municipalities? (Source: OPTA, 2007 Overall Levy CHanges, Lower Tier, General)
12. Why did my tax rate increase over last year?
13. Where can I find more information on the 2007 Budget?
1. Who is the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation or MPAC?
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, or MPAC as it is more commonly referred to, is an arms-length agency created by the Province.
2. When are notices of reassessment provided?
The Fair Municipal Finance Act, 1998 passed by the Ontario government, requires that the values of all properties in the province, be updated on a regular basis. The assessment is the responsibility of MPAC. The notice for taxation in the year 2007 was based on the assessed value of the property as of January 1, 2005.
If you have questions about your Property Assessment Notice, assessed value, or about assessment in general, please contact the MPAC office at 1-866-296-6722, by fax at 1-866-297-6703.
3. How does MPAC establish the assessed value of my property?
MPAC analyzes real estate market information from similar types of property in your area to establish your property's value. Any one of three methods may be used for this analysis: the selling price of properties (residential), the rental income a property generates (office building), or the cost to replace a property (industrial). Each method takes into consideration the location of a property, the size and quality of any buildings, and features which might add to or take away from a property's value.
4. How can I find out the assessed value of properties similar to mine?
MPAC now has a tool on their Web site that will allow you to search for assessments, called "About My Property". The instructions on how to use this feature to access information are on their Web site at http://www.mpac.ca/.
5. I purchased my property in 2006. Shouldn't my assessed value be the same as the purchase price?
The sale of real property is affected by many factors, such as a buyer's desire to acquire a particular property and a seller's willingness to reduce the sale price in order to achieve a sale. This could result in similar properties selling for different amounts, which would result in different taxes. MPAC determines an assessed value that is in the middle range of selling prices for similar properties. This ensures that the tax burden is equitably shared among similar properties.
Another reason the assessed value and price might not be the same is that the market may have changed between the valuation date of January 1, 2005 and the date you purchased your property.
6. What do we mean by assessment growth?
New buildings or improvements create new taxable property, increasing the tax base, regardless of the assessment valuation date. Huntsville’s 2006 assessment growth has been estimated at 1.7% and is net of demolitions and tax appeals.
7. What is the tax ratio for Commercial and Industrial properties?
Huntsville is reported by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) to have the most balanced municipal tax system in Ontario across property classes which include industrial and commercial. Businesses zoned commercial and industrial are taxed at a ratio of 1.1 times more than equally valued residential properties. This means that on same-valued properties, for example $150,000, the resident pays the Town of Huntsville $496 while the retail store and the industrial plant pays $545.
8. Does the Town retain 100% of the taxes I pay?
No. Total Residential Property taxes collected are distributed as follows:
- 34% Town of Huntsville
- 39% District Municipality of Muskoka
- 27% Education, payable to the Province of Ontario
The Town's tax rate increased 3.9%. The District's tax rate increased 6.1% (General and Waste combined). The Province's tax rate for Education did not change. When combined the effective change of the 2007 tax rate on your property tax bill is 3.7% greater.
10. How does the combined increase in tax rates for Huntsville compare to the other Muskoka Municipalities? (Source: OPTA, 2007 Overall Levy Changes, combined District, Municipality and Provincial Tax Rate)
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5.2% |
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5.1% |
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4.0% |
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3.9% |
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3.7% |
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3.7% |
11. What are the Residential Tax Rates of 3 urban Muskoka Municipalities? (Source: OPTA, 2007 Overall Levy Changes, Lower Tier, General)
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.00379033 (22.7% higher) |
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.00330410 |
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.00310570 (6.0% lower) |
12. Why did my tax rate increase over last year?
The major factors influencing the Town’s 3.9% increase are:
- Operating inflationary increases, most pronounced health and dental benefits, utilities/truck fuel, insurance, data processing and audit fees.
- Adjustment to Non-Union Full-time Employee compensation for market comparators.
- Expanded community enhancement program to include large item pick-up.
- Expanded winter maintenance for additional seasonal plow operators and snow removal.
- Continuation of the Environmental Grant Reserve contribution.
- Annualized impact of 2006 hires for enhanced services introduced in 2006 for:
- Children's literacy programs; and,
- Parks management and parks development.
- Increased investment into the Town's core capital projects including Community Services investments for:
- Preparation of a Centennial Centre refurbishment plan;
- Community Hall renovations for fire and building code regulations;
- Equipment and Field improvements to McCulley Robertson;
- Parks and Trails equipment, development, playground structures and washroom shelters;
- Development of a Youth Skateboard Park;
- Streetscape enhancement of King William; and
- Construction of a walkway across the Port Sydney dam.
- Completion of the River Mill Park which is approximately $400,000 less than originally scoped and provides for increased investment into environmental remediation and enhanced storm water management.
- Necessary expenditures that are one-time expenditures and do not represent annual municipal program activities of $35,000 are for the Environmental Investigation and Post Secondary Investigation works to be funded by General Work Capital Reserves.
13. Where can I find more information on the 2007 Budget?
The 2007 Budget Report can be found on the Town's web-site at http://www.huntsville.ca/town_services/finance.htm
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