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This injustice is underlined by the fact that the average household income of renters in Ottawa (at $51,725 a year) is less than half compared to homeowners ($118,200 a year). And, according to the same data, more than 38 per cent of renters are paying more than 30 per cent of their gross income on rent. That’s more than 45,000 renters carrying an unjustifiably higher property tax burden they can ill afford.

This injustice has been long known – in 1993 the Ontario Fair Tax Commission determined there was no justification for a distinction in property tax rate policy on the basis of tenure by the occupant. The commission recommended that all residential property should be assessed on the same basis, whether occupied by an owner or a tenant.

This recommendation was later echoed by a 2001 City of Ottawa task force. As a result, council adopted a policy of gradually reducing the multi-residential tax rate from 2.78 (in 2001) times the residential property tax rate, to the now 1.45 in 2017. It has been a slow process but the end is now in sight.

However, while the Ontario government’s initiative is welcome, it will have to ensure the reduction in the multi-residential tax rate to the residential rate is passed on to renters. The Residential Tenancy Act will need to be amended to provide for this.

It won’t be a big windfall for renters, but it is a matter of justice.

Alex Cullen, former Ottawa city councillor (2000-2010) and chair, City of Ottawa Task Force on Property Assessment and Property Tax Issues (2001).