New Brunswick campers may pay more in property tax this year

A New Brunswick campground owner is expressing frustration over changes to her provincial property tax assessment that will have her paying thousands more in taxes this year.

READ MORE: Highlights from New Brunswick budget 2017: more spending, more debt

Marie-Paul Martin who owns Camping Beausejour in Shediac said she found out from her provincial property tax assessor on Wednesday that she will have to pay $4,000 more in property taxes this year. She said the increase is because last fall the province changed the way it assesses property tax for her camping site from commercial to residential property.

“I feel as if the government is my enemy,” said Martin, who has been in business for more than 20 years.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I feel as if the government is my enemy," said Martin, who has been in business for more than 20 years.

At first she thought that might be a good thing, since the residential tax rate is lower.

“I thought my taxes will go down” said Martin.

But Martin said she was told that the province re-evaluated her lots values and says it “almost doubled how much each of those lots are worth.”

She said she will now have to pay up to $4,000 more in property tax this spring, a price she says she can’t afford to pay.

Martin said she feels the province is being unfair to small businesses.

“They are just grabbing money everywhere that they can.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They are just grabbing money everywhere that they can."

READ MORE: Lack of detail around 2017 New Brunswick budget raising questions with stakeholders

On Tuesday, the province announced a 0.5 per cent drop in small business taxes come April saying it is committed to lowering taxes for small business.

But Martin said she isn’t buying it, and that she will not be the only one paying more taxes.

Campgrounds not alone in being taxed

The campground owner said she was also told by her tax assessor that any of her clients in the park that own some larger park model trailers will also be receiving an additional tax bill this year.

According to an email statement released by Service New Brunswick, there are different assessment standards for some mini-homes.

“Mini-homes that cannot be registered to drive on the road are required to pay property tax under the law,” the email reads. “In some cases, new homes have been missed and erroneously not sent tax bills. These homes have been brought to NB’s attention and will be billed in compliance with the law.”

The province did not provide any further information on what size or model of trailers will taxed nor when the owners of the trailers will be notified.

Opposition Finance Critic and Progressive Conservative MLA Bruce Fitch (Riverview) said that could impact many people who just want to go on vacation.

“It is going to be harder on businesses. It is going to be harder on residents to find the money to enjoy a great pastime.”

Martin said she does not have any larger park models on her sites, but knows there are plenty of campgrounds in the province that do and she said their clients are likely to be quite upset about getting an additional tax bill. She said retailers who sell the larger park model trailers will also be impacted.

“The retailers of those machines will be punished too and the industry that builds those things they will be punished too.”