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Getting to Know BC Assessment Local Government Leadership
Academy Elected Official Seminar
Michael Spatharakis – Manager, Local Government Customers
January 2019
Topics
1. About BC Assessment 2. Valuation 3. Classification 4.
Exemptions 5. Assessment cycle & key dates 6. Appeal process
7. Relationship between assessment & taxation 8. 2019
assessment roll summary 9. Collaborating with BC Assessment
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About BC Assessment
• 1974 non-partisan commission tasked with examining property
assessment & taxation
• Recommended creation of a province-wide assessment
authority
• Operates independent of taxing function & provincial
politics
• Since enactment of Assessment Authority Act & Assessment
Act in 1974, BCA has provided uniform, fair, & independent
property assessments to the people of BC
Creation of BC Assessment
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Our product – the assessment roll
• Annual list of property values provides stable, predictable
base for real property taxation in B.C.
• Identifies ownership, value, classification & exemptions
for each property
• Represents over 2 million properties with total value of
$1.99 trillion
• Provides the base for local governments & taxing
authorities to raise approximately $8 billion annually in property
taxes for schools & important local services
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Valuation, classification, & exemptions
How we value different properties
• Market value as of July 1st • Residential • Commercial
Market value is the most probable price which a property should
bring in a competitive market under all conditions requisite to a
fair sale, the buyer & seller, each acting prudently,
knowledgeably & assuming the price is not affected by undue
stimulus.
• Legislated (regulated values)
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How we classify properties
Class Title 1 Residential 2 Utilities 3 Supportive housing 4
Major industry 5 Light industry 6 Business other 7 Managed forest
land 8 Recreational/non profit 9 Farm land
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Exemptions
§ An exemption applied by BC Assessment is a release from
paying all or a portion of a tax levied by a local taxing
authority
§ Common exemptions are:
§ Statutory – granted by legislation
§ Permissive – granted by taxing authorities
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Assessment cycle & key dates
Assessment cycle & key dates
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Jan. 1-31 Inquiry period
Jan. 31 = PARP appeal deadline
Feb. 1 – March 31 PARP appeal hearings Revised Roll
production
April 1 - Sept. 30 Assessment projects completed
New construction inspected April 30 = PAAB appeal deadline
July 1 = Valuation date
Oct. 1 – Dec. 31 Roll production
Oct. 31 = Physical condition & permitted use Nov. 30 =
Ownership reflects LTSA records
Dec. 31 = Assessment notices produced & mailed Dec. 31 =
Liability for taxation
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Appeal process
Appeal process
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April 30 – Deadline for 2nd Level of Appeal Property Assessment
Appeal Board conducts reviews
Risk to Revised Assessment Roll provided to Taxing
Authorities
February 1 to March 15 – Hearings for 1st Level of Appeal
Property Assessment Review Panel conducts reviews via
hearings
January 31 – Appeal Deadline for 1st Level of Appeal
Deadline for formal written request for independent review
January 1 to 31 – Inquiry Period
Owner’s review assessments & contact us if they have any
questions
Statistical overview
15 LGLA 2018 Getting to Know BC Assessment 15
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
1979
19
81
1982
19
83
1984
19
85
1986
19
87
1988
19
89
1990
19
91
1992
19
93
1994
19
95
1996
19
97
1998
19
99
2000
20
01
2002
20
03
2004
20
05
2006
20
07
2008
20
09
2010
20
11
2012
20
13
2014
20
15
2016
20
17
Percentage of Folios Appealed
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Relationship between assessments & taxes
Relationship between assessment & taxation
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Assessed Value
Property Tax Rate
Property Taxes Payable
Received January BC Assessment
Spring Set by Taxing Authority
Due 1st Business Day July*
*Unless your taxing authority has enacted an alternative
municipal tax collection structure under Section 235 of the
Community Charter.
Impact of changes in assessed values on taxes
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“My assessment has gone up 40%, I can't afford for my taxes to
go up 40%!”
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2019 assessment roll summary
2019 assessment roll
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*
*Based on number of 2018 appeals 20
Statistical overview
21 Getting to Know BC Assessment 21
$0
$500,000,000,000
$1,000,000,000,000
$1,500,000,000,000
$2,000,000,000,000
$2,500,000,000,000
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Total Actual Value
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Statistical overview
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0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 2017
Folio Count
Collaborating with BC Assessment
Collaborating to achieve our mandates
§ By sharing information & working together BC Assessment
& Taxing Authorities can:
ü Ensure fair & equitable property assessments
ü Maintain stable & predictable assessment & tax
rolls
ü Optimize property tax revenue levied & collected by taxing
authorities
ü Increase citizen awareness of property assessment &
taxation
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Getting to Know BC Assessment 25
