Residents in Victoria Beach looking at major rise in taxes
Posted April 5, 2025 4:41 pm.
Last Updated April 6, 2025 11:41 am.
The residents of the Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach will see a major rise in their tax bills. After the property value assessments have skyrocketed by 34 per cent and the province has removed the educational tax rebate from seasonal properties, for some of them taxes for the Lord Selkirk school division will go up by nearly a quarter.
A statement from the province to CityNews reads in part, “… in Budget 2025, our government increased the Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit by $100. This credit will save homeowners up to $1,600 a year on their school taxes starting in 2026.”
However, that tax credit only applies to principal residences, which constitutes a major problem for a community like Victoria Beach, where 85 per cent of residents are seasonal.
“Well, it’s twofold. If it’s a seasonal property, you no longer qualify for the school tax rebate, so you are going to have to pay the full fair for the education tax if you’re a seasonal property owner. That could be. It depends on your property, but it’s going to be significant; it’s going to be double. Because you got the rebate last year, it is going to be double that this year,” said Penny McMorris, mayor of the RM of Victoria Beach.
It’s a policy Mayor McMorris thinks should have been phased in; in fact, she thinks the entire provincial education funding system needs rethinking.
“Other provinces, I’m told,d take it out of income. Maybe that would be a fairer way to do it, but I think that’s going to take a lot of investigation and studies on the provinces’ part,” said McMorris.
While the municipality is still finalizing its financial plan, the change in rebate policy, coupled with the higher assessments, she believes will be a big shock to Victoria Beach residents.
“We’re expecting it to be anger and frustration, that the bill so high on education. We are lowering our mill rate, but the lord Selkirk school division also lowered their mill rate, so what could have been an $800,000 increase overall is now a $600,000 increase overall, and our residents have to bear that cost.”
