Property Assessment

The assessment roll is an inventory of all residential, industrial, commercial, institutional and agricultural properties on the territory. It indicates the value of each property on the basis of its real value, i.e., its exchange value on a free and open competitive market. In other words, it is the most likely price a buyer could pay for a property in a private sale. This value, which is entered on the assessment roll, serves as the basis for the application of municipal and school taxes.

The assessment roll is reviewed every three years to eliminate, as much as possible, any discrepancies between the market value of a property and the value entered on the roll.

The appraiser bases the value on what the market value of the property was 18 months prior to the effective date of the roll, e.g. the value on July 1, 2014 for the roll effective January 1, 2016. This value represents the most probable price a buyer could pay for the property in a normal private sale.

In the field of valuation, the following three methods are recognized to establish the real value of a property:

• The cost method -The appraiser adds the value of the land to the cost of new construction less depreciation, such as wear and tear caused by the age of the building.
• Comparison method-Appraiser estimates the value of the property by comparing it to the selling prices of properties with similar characteristics.
• The income method-For industrial, commercial or multiple-unit residential properties, the appraiser must take into account the potential gross income of the property, less losses for bad debts and vacancy of the property, less operating expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.).

The property assessment roll is an inventory of the buildings in the territory that indicates the value of each property based on its actual value and real estate market conditions on a given date.

Taxation establishes the revenue to be collected on each property by multiplying the municipal assessment of a property by the municipal tax rate.

As an example:

• Municipal property value ABC as established by the assessment roll = $25 million
• Annual expenditure by the municipality = $2 million
• Annual revenues of the municipality including rate revenues (flat rate services, e.g. water, sewer, waste…) = $1,750,000
• Amount collectible (general tax) = $250,000
• Tax in $/100 of evaluation = $1.00
  [ 250,000 / 25,000,000 x 100]
• Therefore, for a property valued at $200,000 in Municipality ABC, the general tax will be $2,000, or 1% of the value of the property as established on the assessment roll.

A taxpayer may request a review of his or her entry on the assessment roll in the first year of the three-year roll, or if changes to the property warrant a new assessment, in which case, only those items that have changed may be subject to a request for review.

If you disagree with the assessment of your property, we recommend that you consult with our appraisers before initiating a formal review process to avoid unnecessary and costly steps.

To initiate a formal review procedure:

1. Beware of delays – The request for review must be made before May 1st of the first year of the three-year roll or, in the case of a notice of amendment, within 60 days of receipt of the notice.
2. Complete the Request for Review form and submit it in person to the Assessment Department of the MRC in Campbell’s Bay, or send it by registered mail to: 602 Route 301, Campbell’s Bay, Quebec J0X 1K0, with your payment.
   • Assessment_Revision_Form_Foncière_Form
3. Pay the required fee according to the fee schedule below, either in cash, by interac debit or by cheque.

For more information, please visit the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources website here:

https://www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca/evaluation-fonciere/evaluation-fonciere-municipale-au-quebec/recours-des-contribuables/#c25035 (French only)  *See Assessment Revision Form above for English instructions.

The Assessor’s Role in the Request for Review:

• First, the appraiser must check the application for the merits of the dispute. (Note that, by law, the amount of fees payable is not a valid reason for review).
• The appraiser must then render a decision to the applicant before September 1 of the first year of the assessment roll, or before the 61st day following the application if it is an administrative review following the issuance of a notice of amendment or an automatic correction by the MRC appraiser.
• In case of disagreement with the assessor’s decision, the Municipal Taxation Act allows the applicant a last recourse before the Administrative Tribunal of Québec.