Established in 1903, the Winnipeg Real Estate Board is the longest running board in the country. It is a professional and industry association representing over 1200 real estate brokers, salespeople, appraisers and financial members active in the local real estate market. In 1999, there were in excess of 10,000 Multiple Listing Service (MLS) sales totaling over $890 million in dollar volume transacted through the Winnipeg Real Estate Board. Members, especially from our Commercial Division, were also involved in a considerable number of exclusive listing sales and leases, which are in addition to the MLS sales activity.
As REALTORS, we are at the front-line of property owners’ concerns be they residential, business or investment. This is no more readily apparent than when an out- of-towner comes to Winnipeg with a fresh pair of eyes and starts asking questions about our marketplace and city. Invariably, property taxes come up and besides the eyes being wide open the jaw drops. Winnipeg with its combination of three sets of property taxes – municipal, special school tax levy and education support levy – is at the top of the heap in Canada when it comes to property taxes. They are excessive to say the least and it is no joking matter when you have many Winnipeg homeowners paying monthly property tax bills equivalent to someone’s mortgage. Where is it going to stop? The status quo is no longer acceptable. Rising property taxes are not sustainable and something has to be done. We cannot stress enough how urgent a problem this is!
Please download the full 5-page PDF file to read this entire position paper.