The Canadian Taxpayers Federation reacted to New Brunswick’s new property tax assessment notices that removed the Permanent Assessment Gap Exemption.

“It’s not a good week when both the premier and one of his government ministers renege on the promises they made to New Brunswickers,” said CTF Interim Atlantic Director Renaud Brossard. “For over 100,000 New Brunswick families, Premier Blaine Higgs’s pledge not to hike taxes rang hollow when he ended the Permanent Assessment Gap Exemption.”

During last summer’s election campaign, Premier Higgs promised New Brunswickers: “There will be no new tax increases under our government.”

In last fall’s Speech from the Throne, the government hinted at its plans to remove the Assessment Gap Exemption.

The Assessment Gap Exemption grandfathered assessment gaps resulting from a 2011 and 2012 cap on residential assessment hikes.

Back then, former minister for local government Bruce Fitch pledged that “New Brunswickers would continue to enjoy the savings [from the Permanent Assessment Gap Exemption] as long as they own their homes.”

Fitch is now serving as minister for social development in Blaine Higgs’s government

According to the government’s estimates, this represents a $100 tax hike on average for over 100,000 New Brunswick families.

“Now is not the time to bring in tax increases when thousands of New Brunswickers find themselves jobless or have lost income,” said Brossard. “These tax hikes will do nothing more than slow down the province’s economic recovery and put more families through unnecessary hardship.”

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