Vacant Unit Tax Program - Update on Year One Data and Improvements

Council was asked to

1. as amended That Council: Receive an update on the Vacant Unit Tax program; and Approve enhancements to the program and by-law as outlined in this report; and Amend the report by deleting the following property codes from Table 6, such that they not be recommended as eligible property codes in the Vacant Unit Tax By-law: Property Code 244 (Managed forest property, residence not on water) Property Code 245 (Managed forest property, residence on water) Property Code 262 (Land owned by a farmer improved with a non-farm residence with a portion being farmed); and Approve that the “Rural Property Exemption” piece of the report be amended to allow property owners of rural residential century homes, recreational hunt camps, or structures significantly damaged and not capable of being used for housing to apply under the following criteria: The structure must be on a property with at least three acres The structure must be on a property in a rural zone The structure must be uninhabitable as determined by the City An appeal must have been filed with MPAC; and Approve that, on behalf of City Council and the City of Ottawa, the Mayor write to the Premier and to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to request that the Vacant Unit Taxation power be expanded to the multi-residential property class.