The Toronto Star has an interesting piece today looking at property taxes and the deliver of services across the GTA. Apparently, 905ers are still upset that people who live downtown get a better deal on property taxes as well as better service. On both fronts, those are inaccurate. For one, the much-despised and much-flawed municipal property assessment system doesn’t discrimminate against the suburbs. Instead, it gives property owners an assessment and then the municipalities establish a levy. Don’t blame Toronto if Vaughan or Mississauga are slapping you with a higher levy. As for delivery of services, it simply costs more money to delivery water, sewers, mail, etc. to single-home communities in less densely-populated areas. If you want the space of the suburbs, the driveway beside your house and a two-car garage, there’s a cost.
