New Brunswick premier says property tax scandal will be investigated

He said it’s troubling that the information didn’t come directly from employees within the Department of Service New Brunswick.

The CBC is reporting it received a leaked email showing that senior assessment officials invented renovation amounts for more than 2,000 homeowners with large assessment increases this year.

Conservative Opposition Leader Blaine Higgs has been pressing the government on property tax issues for weeks, and wanted to know what the government has been doing.

“Not being aware means nothing was happening to protect the citizens of this province. Not being aware is no excuse,” he said.

Higgs called on the government to forego a three-week break in the legislative session in order to get answers on the issue.

Gallant said the investigation won’t be affected by the scheduled break that begins next week.

Higgs has also been pushing the government to extend the deadline for homeowners to appeal their assessments, but Gallant said that’s not necessary.

“At any point during the next few months, at any time, if anyone has had an error to their property assessment, they can come see us, and we’re going to proactively go see them if we are aware of it,” Gallant said.

Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

New Brunswick premier says property tax scandal will be investigated

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