The municipal property assessor is required to confirm specific property information in order to complete assessments on behalf of your municipality. This information has always been required, and we are implementing innovative industry methods to collect it in an efficient manor. The information will be used to update and to check the accuracy of what is currently on the record.

This type of information is being obtained via review and analysis from drive by inspections, site visits, blueprint reviews, oblique aerial imagery, permitting information, request for information surveys, phone calls, MLS, etc.

Typical methods will continue to be carried out but as propertyowners have become more and more concerned with privacy and protection of their property, we are finding that they are not receptive of cold call style property visits. Response to knocking on doors and leaving calling cards has diminished greatly over recent years. The thought is that this type of survey will be less intrusive and still enable the assessor to obtain important information required for this very important municipal function.

The information collected via this survey is being used exclusively for assessment purposes to update and enhance the information that is currently on the assessment record. (ie: number of bathrooms, fireplaces, basement finish, renovations, etc). It will not be used or distributed for any other purpose.

Property taxes may change annually for a multitude of reasons such as real estate market conditions, physical changes to your property, municipal revenue requirements, provincial revenue requirements, etc. If this survey identifies significant changes to the physical status of your property from what was previously on the record it could impact your taxes. However this would have occurred with or without the survey.

We anticipate sending this type of residential survey once every 4 or 5 years.

Your assessment is based on a very specific valuation date of July 1st of the year prior to the current taxation year as required by provincial legislation. Your Assessment and Taxation Notice is typically mailed up to 1 year after this valuation date. Substantial increases or decreases based on real estate market conditions can occur to the value of properties between these two dates. Any sales activity or change in home prices occurring after July 1st of the year prior to the current taxation year is not reflected in this assessment, but will form the basis for next year’s assessment.

An Assessor can provide comparable property sales information that can assist in determining whether your assessment is fair and equitable.

Yes, this method of data collection is becoming standard in municipality’s throughout the province.