- Part II: Taxpayers Federation: ‘Haligonians Deserve Property Tax Relief’ – HRM Mayoral Contender Pam Lovelace Takes Aim At Taxpayers Federation’s Devin Drover Article
By Andrew Macdonald
This week, The Macdonald Notebook has been publishing daily weekday editions because of the election this Saturday. Normally, we publish on weekends and next week will go back to that schedule.
But, there is an election, and for the future of Halifax Regional Municipality a lot is at stake. So, this week The Notebook has been offering comprehensive election coverage.
Andy Fillmore is running for Mayor of HRM/Halifax. He wants to freeze property tax increases for a two year period. Who can quibble with that?
Mayoral contender Andy Fillmore’s hallmark policy is to freeze municipal taxes for a two year period.
His mayoral opponent, Waye Mason, who is gaining traction in recent polls could very well become Mayor of HRM.
HRM mayoral contender Waye Mason is a tax and spend politico, who earlier this year voted to approve a property tax bill increase of 6.3 per cent, despite Haligonians facing cost of living increases. (The Notebook).
Mason is a tax and spend politician. Earlier this year he voted to approve a 6.3 per cent property tax increase for residents in HRM who own property. This despite the current cost of living increases.
Mason’s vote means HRM home owners have to pay an extra $214 being added to the annual tax bill for the average single-family home.
Yesterday, The Macdonald Notebook reported an opinion column from the Taxpayers Federation of Canada.
The Federation has a new Atlantic rep, Devin Drover.
Drover’s column was entitled: Haligonians deserve property tax relief.
In case you missed that article given to The Macdonald Notebook on an exclusive basis, it is contained in this story, down below.
The 2024/2025 HRM property tax bill increased by 6.3 per cent this year. Waye Mason voted for the tax increase which means an extra $214 added to the annual tax bill for the average single-family home in HRM . Shown are Maurice Fares-built townhouses at Rockingham South. (The Notebook).
One of the things Drover wrote in The Macdonald Notebook resulted in a message from HRM mayoral contender, Pam Lovelace.
Drover wrote: “Councillor Pam Lovelace, another mayoral candidate, opposes a tax freeze but suggested working with the province to remove the provincial portion of property taxes. But this would require provincial cooperation, which is unlikely given the province’s ongoing budget deficits.”
Pam Lovelace wants to be Mayor of Halifax. (The Notebook).
After reading that Macdonald Notebook article, Lovelace wrote to this media outlet, claiming Drover’s comments are “inaccurate”.
“Good morning, can you please connect me with Devin Drover. (His) article is inaccurate,” wrote Lovelace.
“Considering the province and municipalities have already removed provincial charges on the property tax bill over the past 2 years, it’s an empty statement to say it’s unlikely. It is likely and is underway,” she added.
“Municipalities have been and currently are in negotiations to remove the province from the property tax bill,” stated Lovelace.
“Freezing the municipal rate does not impact the accelerating provincial rate on the tax bill. Therefore, by freezing the tax rate at 2024/25 rate, you will see a hike in the property tax bill since 30% of the property tax bill is provincial,” explained Lovelace.
The Taxpayers Federation’s Devin Drover stands by his article.
Responding to mayoral contender Pam Lovelace’s claim his article is “inaccurate”, Drover writes:
“Ms. Lovelace, I appreciate your note, but our position – based on our sources – is that a complete removal of provincial charges is unlikely at this time despite ongoing discussions on a renewed provincial-municipal fiscal framework. As such, it is preferred to see tax reductions that can be solely within the control of the City,” writes Drover.
“I wish you well on Saturday, and if you are successful and able to have the provincial portion removed, we will be the first to sing your praises on this file,” Drover told Lovelace.
In case you missed Drover’s column in The Macdonald Notebook yesterday, here it is again:
- Opinion: Haligonians deserve property tax relief
By Devin Drover (Atlantic director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.)
It’s hard to imagine what Haligonians did to deserve higher property taxes than their neighbours in other cities across Canada. The streets aren’t smoother. The snow isn’t removed quicker. So why the big tax bills?
Taxpayers deserve answers from anyone who wants to be mayor.
Property tax bills in Halifax have soared in recent years, increasing by 6.3 per cent this year alone. That’s an extra $214 added to the annual tax bill for the average single-family home.
With the average property tax bill for a $500,000 home now at $5,600, Halifax has become one of the most expensive cities in the country for homeowners.
Compare that to St. John’s, another growing Atlantic Canadian city, where a similar home would cost homeowners $4,550 in property taxes annually. That means Haligonians are paying 20 per cent more in property taxes than they would for a comparable home in St. John’s.
Or look at Toronto and Calgary, where taxes on comparable homes are $3,600 and $3,300, respectively. Residents of these big cities pay nearly half of what Haligonians do.
This comes at a time when the city has faced criticism due to crumbling road infrastructure andan overcrowded, unreliable transit system.
Another tax hike came in the form of the city’s climate action tax in 2022. This tax is unlike any other in major Canadian cities. It increased property taxes by three per cent, costing taxpayers over $18 million annually.
These funds are being funnelled into niche environmental projects under the city’s HaliFact climate plan, which includes initiatives like the Municipal Electric Vehicle strategy.
The EV strategy aims to transition residents away from gas and diesel vehicles, pushing for a shift to electric vehicles. This has resulted in millions of tax dollars being spent on new EVs for municipal employees and boosting the number of charging stations by more than 50 per cent.
These efforts mirror Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan to end the sale of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2035. This is a policy that nearly 60 per cent of Canadians oppose.
Despite Halifax’s high tax burden, mayoral candidates have offered little in the way of
meaningful property tax relief.
Mayoral frontrunner Andy Fillmore committed to freezing property tax rates for two years, but that leaves uncertainty about future hikes. He’s also refused to say if he’d cut the climate tax.
Councillor Waye Mason, Fillmore’s main opponent, made no firm promises on cutting taxes, aside from vague ideas about adjusting tax rates in rural parts of Halifax. This won’t help those in the city’s core who already pay high rates. Mason also emphasized support for climate adaptation throughout his platform, making it unlikely he would reduce the climate tax.
Councillor Pam Lovelace, another mayoral candidate, opposes a tax freeze but suggested working with the province to remove the provincial portion of property taxes. But this would require provincial cooperation, which is unlikely given the province’s ongoing budget deficits.
Lovelace also hinted at eliminating the climate tax if the provincial and federal governments adjust their tax policies, but hasn’t provided specifics on what those policies would be.
Halifax homeowners deserve more than vague promises and uncertain plans. Instead of continuing to bear some of the highest property taxes in the country, Haligonians deserve real tax relief. It’s time for mayoral candidates to prioritize taxpayers and offer concrete solutions to ease the financial strain on homeowners.
Devin Drover is the Atlantic director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
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