MOOSE JAW — There are nearly 70 properties that have accumulated almost $900,000 in outstanding tax arrears during the past year, so to address the situation, city hall wants to pursue those property titles.
During the April 28 regular council meeting, city council voted unanimously to authorize city administration to make an initial application for those tax titles based on provisions in The Tax Enforcement Act. This will allow city hall to continue further tax enforcement proceedings by pursuing outstanding properties with tax liens registered with ISC Land Registry.
The tax enforcement process is an annual activity that the city begins each year against properties with taxes either unpaid or in arrears as of Jan. 1 of the year following the tax levy, city administration said.
The process begins with advertising the list of all properties with arrears greater than 50 per cent of the previous year’s tax levy, and if the taxes remain unpaid, city hall registers liens against the advertised properties, administration continued. Once all steps in the enforcement process are completed, the city usually acquires one to two property titles.
City administration also told council that these properties are ones that fell into arrears in 2022, while the reason the city is now pursuing tax enforcement against them is that city hall was implementing a new tax assessment software system and this issue was “put on the back burner for a bit.”
Administration noted that once property owners fall into arrears, city hall encourages them to go onto a payment plan, and if they do and remain committed to paying that debt, then the municipality won’t pursue further enforcement.
“It’s never the city’s desire to take any of properties for taxes, but we do need to do our due diligence in following up with these things … ,” said Coun. Heather Eby. “And hopefully 67 out of 67 property owners will come forward and put things in place.”
According to a council report, 67 properties have outstanding tax arrears totalling $851,399.69 as of March 5.
Of those properties, 38 owe taxes under $10,000 — 520 Lillooet Street West owes $53.53 — while the remaining 29 have outstanding tax arrears ranging from $10,572.41 to $107,412.74.
The properties that owe the most include:
- 530 Caribou Street East: $107,412.74
- 250 Home Street West: $55,350.81
- 1055 Seventh Avenue Southwest: $38,585.19
- 1027 Ominica Street East: $31,299.80
- 1245 12th Avenue Southwest: $30,104.03
- 1625 Admiral Crescent: $29,508.64
- 910 Fairford Street West: $27,557.98
- 1300 Lakeview Road: $21,359.70
- 924 Fairford Street West: $19,225.99
- 355 Ninth Avenue Northeast: $10,527.41
The next regular council meeting is Monday, May 12.
