Our communities work better when everyone pays their fair share.
The current assessment methodology used to evaluate sand & gravel pits artificially classifies these aggregate sites as among the lowest forms of farmland, ignoring the revenue generated by these properties, and placing a low cap on the assessed price per acre. In many cases, that means these industrial sites are actually paying LESS in property taxes than a single-family home, a local small business, or even a similarly-sized industrial property in the same area.
This flawed assessment process costs our municipalities and our province millions of dollars a year in lost tax revenue and negatively impacts their ability to deliver more fulsome services and programs to residents. What's more, it places greater strain on everyday Ontarians; in many communities where these pits operate, homeowners and small businesses are paying higher than their fair share of taxes to fund the break that gravel producers are getting. There is clearly a need for a more equitable solution. Other provinces have fairer assessment systems in place that have not harmed aggregate sites or their industry and respect the principles of tax fairness. Ontario can too.
For more information on our advocacy efforts on this issue, visit FairTaxesForAll.ca.
