2005 Assessment Update

1. 2005 Assessment Update Town of Tillsonburg October 24, 2005

2. Presentation Topics • Understanding Ontario’s Assessment Process • MPAC – Assessment Process and Customer Service Improvements • Questions

3. Roles & Responsibilities PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT Passes legislation, sets assessment policies and determines education tax rates. MUNICIPAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT CORPORATIONNot-for-profit Corporation responsible for accurately assessing and classifying 4.4 million Ontario properties. MUNICIPALITYDetermine its revenue requirements, set municipal tax rates and collect property taxes.

4. Current Value Assessment (CVA) • All properties are assessed under Current Value Assessment. • CVA by definition is “ the amount of money a property, if unencumbered, would realize if sold at arms length by a willing seller to a willing buyer • Owners can check the accuracy of their assessed value by comparing it to the price they would expect to sell their property for on the open market in January 2005. • Consistent, uniform method of distributing property taxes throughout a municipality.

5. Assessing Properties What is assessable? • Land and buildings What is not assessable? • Chattels and equipment What factors impact a residential property assessment? • Property location • Lot size • Building size • Quality of construction • Age and condition of buildings • Amenities (garage, pool, fireplaces, air conditioning, extra bathrooms, etc.)

6. Does MPAC visit every property? • It is not economically feasible for MPAC to visit every property each year. • Each year, we update our records by: • reviewing the property and sales information for more than 450,000 open market sales, • reviewing building permits from local municipalities, • completing Request for Reconsideration reviews, on-site property inspections and preparing for Assessment Review Board hearings, • talking to property owners, • for commercial and industrial properties, we analyze income and expense information.

7. What’s Happening In Tillsonburg Average: 6.48%

8. Value Change For Single Family Detached Home

9. What is MPAC doing to help owners understand property assessment changes, and provide better service?

10. You have asked us to: • Provide more information to show how individual property assessment changes compare to other properties in the municipality. • Be more approachable, proactive and responsive. • Be more open and provide as much information as possible about how assessed values are determined. • Provide faster, easier access to information to help owners determine the accuracy of their assessment.

12. New Information On Residential Assessment Notices • The new information is for all residential properties except those that received a change in assessed value during the 2005 taxation year.

13. We have changed to provide better service • Expanded the Assessment Notice mailing period from 2 weeks to 10 weeks to provide faster response to enquiries. • From September to December, we have increased the number of qualified, experienced staff at our Customer Contact Centre and extended our hours service: Weekdays: 8 am to 6 pm Saturdays: 9 am to 12 noon • Our Contact Centre agents provide service in 15 different languages. • The Centre is currently receiving an average of 3,000 calls per day and the average wait time is less than 10 seconds. • Over 90% of the callers have their concerns addressed during the first call – less than 10% are fowarded to a local field office for follow up.

14. More approachable, proactive & responsive • We will be happy to explain how we arrived at the assessed value of your property. • MPAC staff will take the time to answer your questions and address any concerns. • We strive to assess every property accurately and have been recognized internationally for the accuracy of our property assessments. • However…if there is an error we want to correct it.

15. Property owners can… Contact us toll-free Call: 1 866 296-MPAC (6722) Fax: 1 866 297-6703 E-mail: enquiry@mpac.ca By Internet • Visit www.mpac.ca to find answers to commonly asked questions • Downloadable forms and information about the assessment update • Links to Assessment Review Board and Province of Ontario In Person • Visit one of our 34 offices across Ontario. • Visit our local office at 4380 Wellington Rd S. • London Ontario, during regular business hours or our extended hours: November 21 to 25 8 am to 8 pm December 5 to 7 8 am to 8 pm

16. Property owners can … • Register for AboutMyPropertyTM receive online access to property assessment information, free of charge • Or, write to us to request information about their own property or up to 12 comparable properties.

17. Property owners can … • Attend taxpayer information sessions and open houses – December 14 and 15 at the Woodstock Aquatic Centre (2nd flr). • 315 Finkle Street 12 noon to8 pm • Complete a Request for Reconsideration, free of charge and any time before December 31, 2006if they believe their assessed value is not accurate. • File a Notice of Complaint with the Assessment Review Board before March 31, 2006. Fees are associated with this service:($75 for residential, farm, managed forest and conservation land properties) ($150 for commercial, industrial, multi-residential and other properties)

18. Important Dates To Watch For Property Assessment Notices are mailed November 17, 2005 Amended Assessment Notices are mailed December 1, 2005 Delivery of Assessment Rolls December 13, 2005 Assessment Review Board Notice of Complaint Deadline March 31, 2006 Request for Reconsideration Deadline December 31, 2006

19. How can you contact us? Call: 1 866 296-MPAC (6722) Fax: 1 866 297-6703 E-mail:enquiry@mpac.ca Internet: www.mpac.ca In Person: 4380 Wellington Road S. London, Ontario Thank you. Questions?