Written By David Gomez, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
MIDDLESEX COUNTY - On September 10th, the Middlesex County council convened to discuss an important update on the state of Ontario’s property assessment and taxation system, provided by Brenda Slater, Account Manager at MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation), and Anne Haines, Regional Manager. The presentation shed light on ongoing efforts by MPAC to manage assessments and respond to the government’s review of the property tax system. The reassessment of property values, which has been frozen since 2016, remains a concern for municipalities.
MPAC plays a central role in Ontario’s property assessment system, responsible for calculating, capturing, and distributing assessments for all properties and buildings across the province. The importance of accurate property assessments lies in their direct impact on municipalities, which rely on these assessments to set tax rates and collect taxes for essential services. However, the current freeze on reassessments, in place since 2016, has put significant pressure on municipal budgets, as noted during the council meeting.
Slater proceeded to offer a detailed overview of MPAC’s roles and responsibilities, as well as the impact of the provincial government’s decision to defer the next reassessment until the ongoing review of Ontario’s property tax system is complete.
In her remarks, Slater noted that, despite the freeze, MPAC continues to capture new assessment data and provide forecasting and market trends for municipalities. Nevertheless, properties are still being assessed based on values from January 1st, 2016. This has led to concerns, particularly from municipal leaders like Councillor Allan Mayhew, who expressed apprehension about the impact of rising property values that have gone unassessed for years.
“The home improvement industry has been booming over the past eight years, and a lot of properties have had improvements made to them,” Mayhew pointed out. “At some point, property owners are going to face a more realistic evaluation, and we are concerned about the potential for ‘sticker shock’ when the freeze is lifted.”
MPAC representatives, while acknowledging these concerns, emphasized that they are awaiting further direction from the Ministry of Finance. Anne Haines added that MPAC is actively working on solutions to mitigate any negative impacts of the eventual reassessment. This includes launching new tools such as the property pulse dashboard and a Housing Inventory Map to help property owners better understand market trends and prepare for the changes to come.
Haines explained that these resources aim to provide transparency and allow property owners to access up-to-date information on property values, giving them a clearer picture of the current market. She stressed that while reassessments remain frozen, MPAC is committed to ensuring that municipalities and residents have the tools and information they need.
As the session concluded, Warden Aina DeViet thanked the MPAC team for their comprehensive presentation, acknowledging the challenges ahead. “Uncertainty is hard to deal with, but it’s good to have updates and stay current,” she said.
For now, Middlesex County, like many other municipalities in Ontario, awaits further updates from the provincial government as they navigate the complexities of a system that has remained frozen for nearly a decade. MPAC’s tools and insights offer a glimpse of what lies ahead, but much remains dependent on when the reassessment freeze is lifted and how the new values will be implemented.
