Premier Kathleen Wynne has told the Ontario legislature the government will look into the situation involving property assessment increases on the north shore of Lake Superior.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation reassessed property values around Walkers Lake in Schreiber at an average increase of 240 per cent, with the biggest increase being more than 850 per cent.
In the Ontario legislature on Monday, NDP MPP Michael Mantha called on the government to investigate the reassessments.
The member for Algoma-Manitoulin said he had heard from a Schreiber senior on a fixed income "whose property assessment has increased from less than $80,000 to more than $180,000."
Mantha said people can't afford to defend themselves "from MPAC's unreasonable increases," and asked Wynne to step in.
He pointed out that many residents already use more hydro than other Ontarians because they lack access to natural gas, and they pay the highest hydro rates.
Mantha said the reassessments and the prospect of steep tax hikes has left people feeling "scared."
Responding to the New Democrat during Question Period, Wynne said she doesn't have all the details, but gave an assurance that "we will be looking into this situation" and promised to have a conversation about it with the minister of finance, Charles Sousa.
Wynne invited Mantha to pass on any details he has about the matter to the government.
She noted that there have been some "anomalous situations" in other other Ontario communities with regard to reassessments, and said the finance minister will work with MPAC "to determine whether there needs to be a systemic solution" to what has happened in Schreiber.
A senior MPAC official is already scheduled to meet with Schreiber property owners in the community later this month.
