@Purp: Not all municipalities follow that model. Majority do but not all. The big one is apparently City of Vancouver which operates more on a % level rather than on a budget level.

Also doesn't change the fact that higher property assessment values can mean a lower property tax rate even if the tax has actually gone up. If enough people believe the property tax is set based on a rate then a lower rate will give the appareance of doing a good job to keep the costs down.

Another gem from g's blog comments points out that civil service unions love the rise in assesments because it clears the way for higher wage and benefit demands. Sneaky eh? "High real estate prices are a stealth tax. Governments, at all levels, pursue policies that tend toward higher real estate prices. Why? It’s a way to raise taxes without officially “raising taxes.” The key beneficiaries are the municipal politicians and municipal public employees, but also the provincial governments, along with the federal government. Higher assessments mean higher property tax revenue. This means that municipalities require less in the way of transfer payments from the provinces, and, in turn the provinces need less from the federal government. Feeding the municipalities with high real estate prices leaves the feds and the provinces with more money to “redistribute.” This is before we even… Read more »

@Vomitron:

Yet despite all the deterrents the band keeps playing and the price of drinks keeps on rising.

Low incomes, poor quality jobs, last major employers shedding workers, difficulty attracting out-of-town employees, high commercial taxes, bad weather, traffic, drugs, litter, gangs, apparently mostly local buyers with local incomes, major buyers of our products in recession, AND YET IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

I feel like i have fallen down a rabbit hole. Now where did i leave my ruby red slippers?

@Starving Artist:

The S Granville merchant issue is a sad one. I lived in that area for years and in the past 3-4 years lots of the mom n pop business closed because their lease went up fourfold at the end of the lease. The area is losing character fast.

@Purp: There is a very simple reason for this, Canadian's refugee system. As Lai Changxin's case and several other cases in Canada made it perfect clear to those corrupt Chinese officials/smugglers/gang members/etc, as long as you have money and set foot in Canada, the Canadian legal system will do everything and anything in its power to keep you from being extradited back to China. All you have to do is bring cash to Canada, say any 2 or more of the below: falong gong death penalty human rights unfair trial democracy 1 child policy and you will be allowed to stay in the country for years and years, probably collecting social benefits, free medicare, living a nice/luxury life, have a couple of kids (very important, must be 2 or more). If after everything you lost your case and have to… Read more »

@Franco: So I guess the moral of your story is that as long as the money comes to Canada and benefit you personally, it's fine and dandy? You don't give a damn that those $$ are STOLEN from the working poor, peasant farmers, honest working middle classes people in China who are just trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. That they often work in horrible conditions @ slave wages as often portrayed by the media here and paying taxes that gets siphoned by these corrupt officials and smuggled out of the country doesn't raise any moral, ethic concerns in your heart and mind because hey, it's making my house price going up!? Geez, you wonder why Canada is still a member of an extremely exclusive club in the world? That club being of a handful… Read more »

It seems like everyone is jumping off the ship before it sinks in June 2010.

http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2215373