Town of Battleford council at its online meeting this week. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Outstanding taxes

Town proceeds with tax enforcement for properties in arrears

May 21, 2021 | 9:57 AM

The Town of Battleford urges those with property taxes in arrears to make payment arrangements with the town as soon as possible to resolve the matter, and avoid the consequences.

Council passed a resolution at this week’s meeting recommended by administration to authorize the CAO to process the listed properties for the Request for the Registrar to Issue the Title. They also approved the list of properties as presented, according to the Tax Enforcement Act.

CAO Ash Alam reported there is a total of $95,066 in tax arrears as of May 10, 2021, in the current tax enforcement list.

Mayor Ames Leslie said the town has made a number of attempts to get people to pay their bills.

“Over the last year the town has been diligently collecting outstanding taxation,” he said.

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He said the finance department has been working with the individual residents to make payment plans, but taxes owing are still unpaid.

Leslie said there are options such as the Tax Installment Payment Plan Service (TIPPS) to help people deal with their outstanding taxes.

“It will be a little bit bigger of a payment because you have to pay this year’s and outstanding [taxes], but it will stop this title lien,” Leslie said.

He added while the roughly $95,000 in total arrears may not seem like a lot of money to some people, it is a considerable amount.

“It’s a three per cent increase to cover that amount of taxation for the whole community. So it is significant dollars in the large picture,” Leslie said.

Leslie asked people to “please make [their] best effort to get things caught up,” so the town doesn’t have to go down this path.

Coun. David George also hopes to see the matter resolved as it impacts the town.

“Unfortunately, we have had some tough times,” he said, adding that people have had to deal some difficult issues during the pandemic.

However, George said, “at the same time, the town has to move forward also.”

The process

In accordance with the act, six months ago the municipality registered a tax lien against the title of property.

Now in the second phase of the process, the CAO will issue what is known as Form C, giving the property owner a further six months notice to resolve the matter, as the town begins proceedings to request a title to the property.

However, if there is no activity on the property or its assessed value is $17,500 or less, the town may reduce that time and move straight to file a Form G for a 30-day final notice, depending on the situation. Details are available in the Tax Enforcement Act.

CAO Ash Alam told battlefordsNOW the town hopes people will work with him or the town’s finance department to pay their arrears to avoid further repercussions.

“There is still time,” he said. “We are not looking to take any property. The town is encouraging people to contact them.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow