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Extreme Weather Events: Impact on the Assessment Roll
We understand that 2021 has been a difficult year for British Columbians affected by recent weather events (e.g. flooding, landslides and wildfires), and you may have questions or concerns about the impact on your community’s 2022 Assessment Roll. The following is an overview of the legislative framework that BC Assessment follows when contemplating the impact of weather events on assessments. You are welcome and encouraged to share this information on your community’s website.
WHEN IS DAMAGE OR LOSS REFLECTED IN PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS?
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Per Sections 18(2) and (3) of the Assessment Act, substantial property damage or destruction that is reported, and not repaired by October 31, 2021, will be considered when determining 2022 property assessments.
WHEN IS DAMAGE OR LOSS NOT REFLECTED IN PROPERTY ASSESSMENT?
Substantial damage or destruction of buildings and/ or structures that occurred between November 1 and December 31, 2021, and was not repaired by December 31, will not be reflected in 2022 property assessments. Section 10(3)(c.1) of the Assessment Act provides a framework for amending assessments in such cases.
WHAT IF BUILDINGS AND/OR STRUCTURES ARE UNDAMAGED, BUT LAND IS DAMAGED?
Section 10(3)(c.1) only permits amendment to an assessment if a property’s buildings and/or structures were deemed substantially damaged or destroyed. Damage to land without substantial building and/or structure damage will not be considered until the following year’s assessment.
WHAT CONSTITUTES SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE?
Buildings and/or structures are considered substantially damaged if remediation costs are at least 25% of assessed improvement value, or the damage renders the improvements uninhabitable or unusable for their intended purpose.
HOW IS BC ASSESSMENT RESPONDING TO THE RECENT WEATHER EVENTS?
We recently implemented an Extreme Weather Response Team (EWRT) comprised of dedicated appraisal resources to ensure coordinated, consistent, effective and efficient communications, inquiry response and valuation amendment decision-making for properties impacted by recent weather events.
HELP IDENTIFY SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BUILDINGS AND/OR STRUCTURES IN YOUR COMMUNITY
BC Assessment uses mapping and emergency service notifications to identify areas and properties potentially affected by weather events. The following additional information is critical to ensuring 2022 property assessments are fair and accurate: • Property owner self-reporting of damage/loss details, including repair costs and pictures; • Community damage assessments; and • Building permit information.
The foregoing information can be provided to our EWRT via email at weather@bcassessment.ca or phone at 1-866-valueBC (825-8322) local 00500.
Please encourage property owners with substantially damaged or destroyed buildings and/or structures, which were not repaired by December 31, to contact us before January 31, 2022 to share details on the damage or loss.
More information on the impact of extreme weather events, including property owner damage declaration forms can be found at www.bcassessment.ca/weather. To help facilitate assistance to impacted property owners within your community, please add this link to your community’s website.
BC Assessment’s Manager, Local Government Relations, MICHAEL SPATHARAKIS has worked as an accredited appraiser and assessor (Appraisal Institute of Canada) for over 16 years. He holds a Bachelors of Arts (VIU), a Certificate in Real Property Valuation (UBC), a Certificate in Local Government Administration (CapU), and a Masters in Public Administration (UVic).
