The Manitoba government has promised to start eliminating school property taxes on agricultural land.
The government had promised in the last election campaign to eliminate them at 10 per cent a year starting in 2023, but plans to move that up to 2021.
Currently, Manitoba farmland owners can get a school property tax rebate of 80 per cent to a maximum of $5,000.
Property reassessment last year saw some farmers paying $30 an acre more in school property taxes. Farmland values have doubled in recent years with taxes increasing in proportion.
The Manitoba average is $6.40 an acre.
About $42 million of the $85 million owed was rebated.
Saskatchewan farmers had $110 million in school property taxes eliminated in 2006 with further reductions later.
In 2016 Saskatchewan farmers paid $247 per $100,000 farmland value but since then they have paid $143 on that value.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
