Some More Musings on Property Taxation Globe and Mail January 27, 2024

In June 2014, I wrote my very first Vancouver Courier column. I recall it well since it upset many of my neighbours. That's because I live in Vancouver's Southlands neighbourhood where many residents live in very expensive homes on large acreage lots. I'm not one of them. I live in what my next door neighbour once described as the poor part of Southlands. 

The column, which you will find below, addressed a provision in the property assessment system which allows some homeowners to significantly reduce their property taxes by growing and selling vegetables on a small portion of their lot and then applying for Farm Classification. 

While it is perfectly legal, it seemed wrong to me ten years ago that by selling $2500 worth of vegetables grown on a portion of the property, such dramatic tax savings could be achieved. And I still think it is wrong, which is why I mentioned it to the Globe and Mail's Kerry Gold when we were discussing another concern I have with BC Assessment's classifications; namely, there is only one residential classification (other than Supportive Housing) and so all housing types are subject to the same mill rate. As a result a $2.5 million suburban house pays the same taxes as a $2.5 million downtown highrise apartment, even though one requires far more infrastructure, or uses far few services (eg: garbage collection) than the other.

My proposal? For BC Assessment to create two residential classifications - one for single-family properties and one for multi-family. This isn't perfect, I know. But it could be more equitable, especially at a time when we are trying to encourage more multi-family sustainable living. 

Below is Ms. Gold's story from today's Globe and Mail followed by my Courier (now Vancouver is Awesome) column from June 2014) I must add I agree with the comments by Hanni Lammam and Derek Holliday. It is difficult to believe there will be adequate servicing in many low density neighbourhoods soon to be upzoned to four and five FSR which equates to a five or sixfold increase the the amount of development on each property. I also agree with Mr. Holloway that it wasn't necessary to apply Vancouver's multiplex zoning to every neighbourhood in the city, except for the one that could easily accommodate more density, namely Shaughnessy. But that's another story for another day.

Experts say B.C.’s upzoning results are highly uncertain                     KERRY GOLD SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Opinion: Putting all your eggs into one bracket (Vancouver Courier June 2014)