SUNDAY December
13 2015
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On the beach in Lesvos BRIGHT LIGHTS 12
Houzz 5th anniversary SPORT 33
Handsworth takes top spot $1.25
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Local News . Local Matters
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2016 assessments going up - way up
Thousands warned of sharp spike in home property assessments JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews.com
Homeowners on the North Shore be warned: higher property assessments are coming. In some cases, much higher. This week, B.C. Assessment sent early
notices to more than 2,130 property owners on the North Shore, warning that their assessments will be up significantly more than the average for their area. And that’s considering increases of 15 to 25 per cent will be “typical” among many single-family homes in the Lower
Mainland, said area assessor Jason Grant. “If you went back to 1980 there would be only two or three other times when the single-family market across the North Shore has moved as quickly and by as much as it has in the last year,” said Grant. “The increases for single-family homes across the North Shore are the largest they’ve been in
about 10 years.” The assessment authority sends out early warning notices every year to some homeowners. But this year, there are more letters going out than ever before. “The real estate market is moving very quickly,” said Grant. “The (number) of letters this year is the most I can recall.” The assessment
authority sends the early warning letters to homeowners whose properties increased in value more than 15 per cent above the average increase for the area. That means if house values are up an average of 20 per cent in West Vancouver, only owners whose assessments are up by at least 35 per cent over last year will get the letter. Those owners are likely
to have sticker shock come property tax time. “Properties that go up dramatically more than the average will see a tax increase,” said Grant. On the North Shore, 1,087 property owners in West Vancouver were sent early warning letters. An additional 963 owners in the City of North Vancouver were
See Lynn page 5
Rescue volunteer ‘grateful, honoured’ for support BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
The campaign to help a North Shore Rescue volunteer’s family as he goes through cancer treatment has met its $60,000 fundraising goal and then some, all in less than week. “It’s mind boggling. We’re floored,” said Jay Piggot, searching for words. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected the community and complete strangers to come out and support me like this.” The 10-year veteran volunteer with North Shore Rescue and paramedic was diagnosed last week with a rare and difficult to treat form of cancer. Given his part-time status with B.C. Ambulance Service, he is See Anonymous page 5
AN EXTRA HELPING Newcomers to St. David’s United Church prepare food from their home countries for a lunch benefiting Syrian refugees. The luncheon contributed to the $35,000 raised to date towards the sponsorship by seven North Shore United churches of a refugee family of seven. Turn to page 3 to read more about North Shore residents’ efforts to aid Syrian refugees. PHOTO CINDY GOODMAN