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South Cariboo residents should expect tax increases: CRD

While property owners in North Cariboo might see a decrease
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Cariboo Regional District. (Williams Lake Tribune photo)

Property owners in the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) are likely to see a change in the taxes this year, depending on where your property is.

That was the message from the CRD, which provided more information surrounding the 2022 property assessments in a news release Friday (Jan. 14).

Property assessments are up across the province, with increases as high as 40 per cent being seen in communities such as Wells, with 100 Mile, Williams Lake and Quesnel all seeing increases around 30 per cent. Assessment increases can impact each property owner’s tax rate differently, but some trends are emerging in the Cariboo region.

The CRD noted electoral areas in the South Cariboo are “likely to see a shift upwards in their tax bill for region wide services.” Those areas include (Area E) Dog Creek, South Lakeside Drive, (Area G) 108 Mile Lac la Hache, (Area H) Canim Lake Forest Grove, and (Area L) Interlakes, Lone Butte.

Areas in the North Cariboo that did not see as large of increase to their assessments, such as (Area A) Red Bluff Quesnel South, (Area B) Bouchie Lake Quesnel West, (Area C) Barlow Barkerville and (Area D) McLeese Lake Williams Lake North. Electoral Areas A, B, C, and D, are likely to see a decrease in their tax bill due to the change in their assessments.

“A key driver of the increased assessments is the current real estate market in our region. Interest in Cariboo properties is very high, with some buyers paying over asking price for desirable properties. This activity is resulting in higher assessments across the region,” noted the CRD.

“Cariboo Regional District residents and property owners should note an important difference in the way they are taxed compared to their neighbours in the Cariboo municipalities of 100 Mile House, Quesnel, Wells and Williams Lake. In municipalities, property owners are billed using a variable ‘mill rate’ formula (dollars per $1000 of assessed property value). The local government also determines how to split the overall tax burden between private, industrial, and commercial taxpayers.”

By comparison, the CRD’s tax bill is separated by each service area and calculated according to ratios set by the province. The taxes collected can only be used for the specific services in the specific areas where they were collected. In addition, regional districts cannot directly tax properties and must requisition their member municipalities and the Provincial Surveyor of Taxes (for rural electoral areas) to tax on their behalf in order to meet annual revenue needs.

“The important thing to remember is that taxes are calculated in relation to other homes in your area. Unless your property is assessed significantly higher than your neighbours, you are unlikely to see much change in your annual bill due to the increased value,” noted CRD chief financial officer Kevin Erickson.

BC Assessment advises property owners who see incorrect information on their notice or feel their assessment does not reflect market value as of July 1, 2021 to contact them as soon as possible in January. The deadline to file an appeal of an assessment is January 31, 2022. Property tax bills are issued in June.

In addition, anyone whose home or property was impacted by 2021 flooding, wildfires or mudslides is advised to call the BC Assessment toll-free line (1-866-825-8322) as soon as they receive their assessment notice ­to ensure their property is valued correctly.

Property owners can contact BC Assessment toll-free at 1-866-valueBC (1-866-825-8322) or online at bcassessment.ca. During the month of January, hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

To learn more about assessments and paying your property taxes in the CRD please visit the taxes page of our website at: https://www.cariboord.ca/en/home-and-property/taxes.aspx.

Read More: STICKER SHOCK: BC Assessment property values up significantly in Williams Lake



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Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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