Toronto city councillors voted to overhaul the vacant home tax program after receiving numerous complaints from residents who were inaccurately billed thousands of dollars. The city apologized for the botched rollout of this year’s program, which erroneously declared tens of thousands of homes vacant. Some residents were unaware that they needed to make a declaration every year, while others were still billed despite making the declaration. York South-Weston Coun. Frances Nunziata admitted that the city made a mistake and should have paused the program when issues arose.
City staff acknowledged fundamental flaws in the design of the vacant home tax program, which prevented them from addressing problems that arose, such as a significant increase in vacant homes being identified in the second year of the program. The city’s chief financial officer, Stephen Conforti, noted that the program required bills to be issued by the end of March if declarations were not made, which was a flaw in the program design. Other councillors questioned why residents were not given a confirmation number when they filled out a declaration, similar to receiving a record after paying a parking ticket.
Concerns were raised about the communication surrounding the rollout of the vacant home tax program, including the decision to send out a plain white notice instead of a bright yellow form used in the previous year to highlight the need for declarations. Council ultimately voted for a complete overhaul of the program, with staff being required to report back on their progress later in the year. While some councillors believed the program was beyond redemption, others stressed the importance of ensuring there were no issues before moving forward with the upcoming tax season.
Mayor Olivia Chow acknowledged that the person who designed the program was no longer with the city and stated that no one was fired over the rollout of the vacant home tax. However, questions regarding disciplinary actions against staff were met with human resources regulations. Councillors emphasized the need for accountability, with Coun. Brad Bradford asserting that the responsibility ultimately falls on the mayor. Chow stated that she took office after the issues with the vacant home tax had already occurred, but emphasized that she would take full responsibility if similar problems arose in the future.
The city’s vacant home tax program faced criticism for inaccurately billing residents and failing to effectively communicate requirements for declarations. The overhaul of the program was initiated in response to complaints from residents who were confused by the process and received bills for vacant homes incorrectly. City councillors voted to address the flaws in the program’s design and communication, with staff required to report back on their progress. The mayor acknowledged the need for accountability and stated that she would take responsibility if similar issues occurred in the future.
