By Kim Zarzour
March 11, 2011
An attempt to ease the property tax burden for struggling seniors and the disabled by Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman was defeated in the legislature Thursday.
Mr. Shurman's Bill 143 would have established a province-wide property tax deferral program for low-income seniors and those with disabilities.
Under the bill, Ontarians who meet the criteria would be able to defer their property taxes of up to $5,000 per year, with repayment plus interest on the death of the owner or transfer of the property from a surviving spouse. The Act would replace existing municipally managed programs that vary across the province.
"Property tax is one of the largest burdens that Ontario's seniors and persons with disabilities face today. Pair this with increases to the overall cost of living - the HST, hydro rates and MPAC assessment" and Ontario's most vulnerable are being forced out of their homes, Mr. Shurman said.
The bill, defeated after second reading debate, initially received the sponsorship of all parties - the first time in Ontario's legislative history that a bill receiving all-party support was defeated - and Mr. Shurman said today he was "galled" that the support was withdrawn at the 11th hour.
"It went down in flames ... shot down for partisan reasons", the Tory MPP said, "because this is an election year."
The bill had been co-sponsored by both NDP and Liberal members of parliament, but MPP Mario Sergio, the Liberal co-sponsor, was not in attendance at Thursday's debate.
Mr. Shurman said Mr. Sergio's sponsorship was withdrawn, something denied by the MPP's assistant, Sarah Morales. "He did not withdraw support. He would have voted for it. It was unfortunate timing he was out of town."
MPP Leeanna Pendergast, Liberal member for Kitchener-Conestoga, raised concerns about the cost of the program during the debate.
"It appears that the province would, in fact, bear the costs of the creation and administration of the deferral program [and would provide] the homeowner with a generalized tax break, which, combined with interest, would carry a significant cumulative cost."
The Ontario energy and property tax credit is already providing support, she said.
Peter Kormos, NDP member for Welland and Mr. Shurman's co-sponsor, lent his enthusiastic support to the bill.
"Why, for the life of me, would members of this assembly want to throw a wet blanket, want to dampen, want to obstruct a good idea from Mr. Shurman?" he asked the legislature. "Beats me ... It just curls my hair to see partisan interest intervening and obstructing good, sound ideas like the proposal from Mr. Shurman."
Warren Carroll, a founder of the 1,000-member Thornhill Seniors Centre, also lent his support to the bill Thursday: "Coupled with spiralling energy costs and HST on services previously not taxed, some of our members worry about keeping their homes."