‘It’s too cheap to own dilapidated buildings’: Saint John looks to province for vacant building tax

The City of Saint John is looking for the provincial government to help tax the vacant buildings in the area.

At Monday’s common council meeting in Saint John, Coun. Paula Radwan suggested implementing higher taxes, which, according to staff, would have to be done through the province.

In 2018, the city found that there are approximately 200 buildings that are either vacant or badly damaged on the city’s watch list, many of which are in the North End.

In August 2022, the city said that roughly 70 abandoned properties are capable of providing around 400 units following renovations.

This comes on the heels of the city extending its beautification grant to the North End, which currently holds many of the municipality’s abandoned buildings.

“We know that a boarded-up building deteriorates community health and well-being,” said Coun. Brent Harris.

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“It forces people out of their community.”

City staff say fire and police patrols have cost the city a large amount of money through the years. Harris said on Monday that fixing these buildings will open up more tax revenue for the municipality.

“It costs the city a lot to service boarded-up buildings,” said Harris.

“(Fire Chief Kevin) Clifford has to send firefighters over there to check on that. Police have to send officers there when it’s broken into.”

Mayor Donna Reardon told Global News that working on replacing abandoned lots has been an issue since she joined the council, and said that many of the buildings are uninsured and unsafe to have in the community.

“Over time, we have put more and more money into that program,” said Reardon.

“If you live in a neighbourhood that has a vacant building, it doesn’t make you feel secure, you don’t know what’s going on in there.”

Coun. David Hickey said that currently, it’s too easy for someone to own abandoned property.

“It’s too cheap to own dilapidated buildings.”

Ontario and British Columbia municipalities have also taken a similar approach, where the City of Vancouver charged an Empty Homes Tax that taxes vacant properties at three per cent of the assessed value,

Legislation in Ontario was also passed to allow additional taxes, with the City of Windsor adding a one per cent tax to those homes.

— with files from Silas Brown and Robert Lothian.