Item - 2024.EX13.8

The Executive Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council adopt the 2024 tax rates for school purposes, as shown in Column II, which will generate an education tax levy on rateable properties for 2024 in the total amount of $2,156,683,397 in accordance with Ontario Regulation 400/98 as amended, prescribing such rates for the City of Toronto, of which $4,165,050 (0.2 percent of the total education levy) is to be retained by the City pursuant to Ontario Regulation 121/07:

2. City Council adopt reductions in tax decreases for the 2024 taxation year on properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes by the percentage of the tax decrease set out in Column II in order to recover the revenues foregone as a result of capping, and to allow the decrease percentages set out in Column III:

3. City Council authorize the introduction of the necessary Bills in Council to give effect to City Council's decision.

In accordance with various legislative requirements, City Council must annually adopt the following by-laws associated with property taxes:

- the municipal levy;

- the education levy; and

- the claw-back rate for properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes.

These by-laws are required to enable the City to issue the final property tax bills for the year, for both municipal and school purposes. Following City Council's adoption of the 2024 municipal property tax rates at its meeting, this report now addresses the education levy and the claw-back rate.

This report recommends adoption of the 2024 education tax rates and education property tax levy for school purposes, as required by legislation. The City of Toronto levies and collects education taxes on behalf of the Province of Ontario, based on the education tax rates set out in Ontario Regulation 400/98, as amended. The education property tax rates prescribed by the Province for 2024 remain unchanged from the previous year for all classes. Accordingly, the average household will see no increase in their education tax this year.

In addition, this report addresses the requirements associated with the clawback rate for properties in the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes. In February 2024, City Council adopted the continued policy of limiting ('capping') allowable tax increases to a maximum of 10% of a property's prior year's annualized taxes for properties in those classes with a property tax bill increase greater than $500. This capping policy protects commercial, industrial and multi-residential properties from significant annual tax increases.

In order to capture the lost revenue from properties that are capped, the City annually calculates a clawback rate that effectively results in withholding part of a property’s decrease due to reassessment, as applicable. This report recommends the 'clawback percentage', which represents the amount the City will retain from any decreases in property tax bills, to offset the capping policy. This therefore  means that  the tax bill will reflect the  'allowable decrease' percentage applied for the year, which in fact is the portion of the decrease the property will be able to retain.