One of Canada’s leading experts on municipal government says the property tax system must go, and be replaced with a much fairer consumption tax system.
Gord Hume maintains if the switch was made, property taxes would be reduced or even eliminated.
Hume notes northern municipalities should receive guaranteed portions of consumption tax, something the feds and provinces take too much of.
He adds federal and provincial governments have room to manoeuvre with taxes, while local municipal councils don’t.
Hume stresses the local level must change in order to meet financial needs of the future.
