Bill 11

Bill 111999

An Act relating to property taxes in Sudbury

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Application of Act

1. This Act applies with respect to The Regional Municipality of Sudbury and the municipalities that form part of the regional municipality.

Optional scheme inapplicable

2. (1) No council of a municipality described in section 1 is authorized to pass a by-law under subsection 447.44 (1) of the Municipal Act to make Division B of Part XXII.2 of that Act apply for 1999 or 2000.

Same

(2) A by-law passed under that subsection for 1999 or 2000 is void.

Minister to pay costs of reduction

3. (1) If taxes on a property are reduced under subsection 447.58 (1) of the Municipal Act, the Minister of Finance shall reimburse the municipality to which the taxes would have been owing by paying the municipality an amount equal to the reduction.

Amounts distributed as taxes

(2) An amount paid by the Minister of Finance under subsection (1) shall be distributed as though the amount were taxes on the property.

Minister to pay administrative costs

4. The Minister of Finance shall reimburse The Regional Municipality of Sudbury and the municipalities that form part of the regional municipality for their costs of administering Part XXII.2 of the Municipal Act.

Commencement

5. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

6. The short title of this Act is the Lower Property Taxes in Sudbury Act, 1999.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill relates to property taxes in Sudbury and to Part XXII.2 of the Municipal Act which was added to that Act by the Fairness for Property Taxpayers Act, 1998.

Under section 2 of the Bill, Division B of Part XXII.2, which limits both increases and decreases in property taxes from 1997 levels, will not apply in Sudbury in 1999 and 2000. Division C of that Part, which limits increases, will continue to apply. However, if there are reductions in property taxes under section 447.58 of that Division, the Minister of Finance will be required, under section 3 of the Bill, to pay for the amount of the reduction.

Section 4 of the Bill requires the Minister of Finance to pay the costs of administering Part XXII.2.