Some Schreiber residents fighting against sharp increases in property assessments took their protest to Queen's Park on Thursday.
They were aided by the NDP MPP for Algoma Manitoulin, Michael Mantha, who accused the Wynne government of ignoring the concerns of northern Ontario families "being priced out of their homes."
The issue captured headlines two years ago when a group representing about 40 property-owners on Schreiber's Walkers Lake staged a protest on the Trans-Canada Highway.
They said the province's Municipal Property Assessment Corporation had reassessed their lakefront properties at levels averaging 240 per cent higher than the previous level.
Spokesperson Keith Scott said his 84-year-old mother's home was bumped up from $78,000 to $186,000, meaning she would need 11 months of her pension just to pay her municipal taxes.
During question period in the legislature Thursday, Mantha charged that the assessments for Walkers Lake properties had increased with no explanation.
He said the provincial average assessment increase is only 20 per cent, and that Annie Scott's house has been assessed almost $100,000 more than a nearby house that is twice its size. As a result, Mantha said, "she can no longer afford to live in her home, but no one will buy it because of the high taxes."
Finance Minister Charles Sousa replied that the Scott family and others "have a right to be concerned about what has taken place. We are working with them. I know they have met with MPAC and some of the officials to try to find resolution."
However, on two occasions during his exchange with Mantha, the minister said the Scotts have not taken advantage of an appeal process that's available.
Sousa said he agrees the issue "needs to be resolved" but suggested that the Township of Schreiber itself has options to mitigate the problem, noting that it "has control over the mill rates."
Schreiber officials have previously stated that the township has done all it can.
According to Mantha, a similar situation exists in his own riding, where farm assessments on Manitoulin Island have doubled without explanation.
He charged that MPAC assessments have become more arbitrary, inconsistent and unfair.
