THUNDER BAY -- The province says it's just making sure it pays its fair share by appealing property assessments in the city.
Appeals are currently out to the Assessment Review Board for provincial properties at 421 and 615 James Street S. It had also appealed an assessment for 189 Red River Road but the province said that matter, which it argued had 7,000 square feet of vacant space listed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation as rented, has been resolved.
Infrastructure Ontario says its been appealing assessments since it started managing government-owned properties in 1998. Spokeswoman Bianca Lankheit said it's a matter of being prudent for Ontario taxpayers.
Asked if IO is concerned that any appeal lowering tax revenue from a provincial property would be shifted to residential taxpayers, Lankheit said it's a "necessary function of cost effective management of publicly funded assets".
"If the end result is a major adjustment to the amount paid by either the municipality or the province, IO would work very closely with the municipality to come to an agreeable payment path forward," she said.
Because the two properties are in the appeals process, Lankheit said she can't give any details for why the province is appealing the assessments.
