Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine is a proud host community of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Site where Bruce Power generates 30% of Ontario’s electricity needs; and
Whereas two decades ago the Province of Ontario adopted a property tax assessment model that continues to apply to Ontario’s nuclear generation facilities; and
Whereas the Province assessment model includes non-market property valuation for electricity generating properties; and
Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine undertook a study in 2024 which has shown that the Provincial assessment model is compromising fairness and shifting the tax burden away from the electricity industry properties and onto the broader property tax base within the host community; and
Whereas the study demonstrated that this is primarily attributable to the assessed value of the subject properties being held almost static over several reassessment cycles, resulting from the Provincially prescribed rules for electricity generating, transmission and distribution properties; and
Whereas the Provincial model results in a disparity between the continuously updated market values assigned to the majority of properties and the static, non-market-based formula applied to electricity industry properties means that the tax burden shifts onto non-industry taxpayers; and
Now Therefore be it Resolved That municipal staff be directed to send communication to the Premier of Ontario, Minister of Energy and Electrification, the Minister of Finance, and the local MPP, to request that the Province undertake an immediate review and update the property tax assessment model for Ontario’s nuclear generation facilities and other properties within the electricity industry, and copy the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and all Ontario Municipalities.
Carried.