Property Tax Reassessment, National Housing Strategy Renewal, Provincial Data Centre Playbook

Top Insights 

• AMO calls on the province to restart property tax reassessment  
• AMO set out municipal sector priorities for the province to inform its renewal and renegotiation of the Canada-Ontario National Housing Strategy agreement beyond 2028 
• The province is consulting on a new framework to guide decision-making on data centres, and prioritize projects that deliver meaningful local benefits 
• AMO Conference key messages and priorities  

Property Tax Reassessment  

AMO sent a letter to Premier Ford to reinforce our long-standing call for the province to establish a clear and timely path back to regular property assessment cycles. A well-functioning and up-to-date assessment system makes Ontario an attractive place to invest, provides municipalities with a stable and predictable source of revenue, and stability and predictability for property taxpayers. 

Public support and understanding of the benefits of re-assessment will also be key to resuming a regular reassessment cycle. AMO has offered to partner with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and the Province to ensure effective communication and implementation of the transition back to regular assessments.  

Ontario is the only province in Canada that has not resumed property reassessments post COVID-19 pandemic, with the last assessment taking place in 2016.  

National Housing Strategy Renewal – Municipal Priorities 

The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is set to expire in 2028. AMO is pleased that both the provincial and federal governments have committed to working together on a renewed agreement. The homelessness crisis continues to worsen in communities across Ontario. The continuation of NHS funding is crucial. To ensure that municipal perspectives are considered as part of the renegotiation, AMO issued a letter to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing identifying and providing input about Ontario’s municipal core priorities for the renegotiation of the strategy and a new Canada-Ontario bilateral agreement. These include: 

• Provide long-term predictable funding through a renewed bilateral agreement.  
• Focus investments on households experiencing the greatest housing need. 
• Renew and expand the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit.  
• Increase investment in non-market housing and preservation of existing affordable housing stock. 
• Expand supportive and transitional housing. 
• Make Reaching Home a permanent and expanded program. 
• Advance Indigenous-led housing and homelessness solutions. 
• Strengthen housing system capacity and delivery. 

AMO is hopeful that this initial input will serve as a launch pad for more conversation and collaboration with both the provincial and federal governments. 

Provincial Consultation on Data Centre Playbook 

The provincial government has announced a framework for data centres to guide decisions on new data centres. Under the proposed Data Centre Playbook, data centres would be required to pay for the full cost of electricity, and be assessed based on three priorities: 

• Economic Development: Creating high-quality jobs, attracting investments, creating new tax revenue, and supporting domestic supply chains 
• Digital Sovereignty: Protecting Canadian data and security, and prioritizing Canadian companies 
• Community Investment: Delivering significant benefits to host communities and earning public trust, and minimizing impacts on host communities 

This Playbook responds to AMO’s data centre advocacy. AMO has called for the development of a provincial framework that ensures data centres do not limit municipal ability to meet other priorities like housing and job creation. We have also called for priority to be given to projects that provide clear benefits to host communities. 

The proposed Data Centre Playbook is open for public consultation until September 12. AMO will continue providing advice to the province on how data centre development can balance local needs and infrastructure demands while supporting Ontario’s economy. 

AMO Conference Key Messages and Priorities 

The AMO Conference, the biggest event in the municipal calendar, kicks off in Ottawa on August 17, and key messages of our policy priorities can be found on the AMO Website. See you in Ottawa!