Essex Council is looking to eliminate a tax rebate for vacant business properties.
In November 2016, Bill 70, or the Building Ontario Up for Everyone Act, gave municipalities more input on how they might choose to handle tax rebates.
In 1998, the Municipal Act dictated every municipality have a program that provides tax rebates to offset lost revenue for vacant commercial and industrial properties.
Essex currently gives a vacancy rebate of 30% for commercial and 35% for industrial units.
Councillor Bill Caixeiro says council will begin engaging the community at the municipal level on whether there needs to be a change.
"It was dictated by the province that this was to be done. The tax rebates on vacant property, so I think they're kind of allowing us now to look at it and make our own decision," says Caixeiro.
He says giving vacant properties a tax break is counter productive.
"If we're putting a bunch of dollars into beautification downtown I think it's contrary to that, by allowing tax breaks for vacant building. I don't think you really promote anything happening quickly with regards to those vacancies," says Caixeiro.
Councillor Sherry Bondy suggested the town charge more for undeveloped properties, and Caixeiro says he agrees.
"You might want to go the opposite direction, instead of giving a tax break. I don't think we can do this, but a tax premium on places that aren't being developed to try and encourage that to happen," says Caixeiro.
According to a report brought to council, the current vacancy rebate program cost the town nearly $25,000 in lost revenue for 2015 and 2016.
Eliminating the program would boost tax revenue by $12,000.