What is Property Assessment?
Property assessment is how a property’s assessed value is determined as of a specific date known as a “base date”. Property assessment is not the same as property tax. Local governments use property assessments to calculate property taxes.
The Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA) has basic assessment information available on their website: https://www.sama.sk.ca/.
Who do I contact if I have questions about my Assessment?
If you do not understand your assessment notice, please call the Town Office at 306-554-2123. You may also request a copy of your detailed property assessment report for your reference. You can also search assessment information online using the SAMAView web application free of charge for personal or non-commercial use at https://www.sama.sk.ca/property-owner-services.
If you have specific questions regarding why your property has been assessed a certain way, or what the items on your assessment mean, you may contact SAMA directly at 1-800-667-7262 or info.request@sama.sk.ca.
Who can Appeal?
Any person with an interest in the assessed value or classification of a property can appeal that property’s assessment. You can appeal if you believe there has been an error in:
- The assessed value
- The classification
- The contents of the assessment roll; and/or
- The assessment notice
When to Appeal?
If you wish to appeal your assessment, you must do so within 30 days. The assessment roll for the Town of Wynyard for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor (Town Office) from 9:00 A.M. To 4:00 P.M. Monday to Friday, February 26 to March 27, 2024.
How to Appeal?
Please complete the Notice of Appeal Form below your Assessment Notice.
Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment or classification to the board of revision is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $25 fee for each assessment being appealed, which will be returned if the appeal results in a change to the assessment by March 27, 2024. Please make cheque payable to the Town of Wynyard.
Please send the appeal to:
Western Municipal Consulting Ltd.
c/o Marlene Hassard
Secretary – Board of Revision
Box 149 Meota, SK S0M 1X0
The grounds for the appeal must be specific. Phrases such as “assessment too high” and “assessment too low” are not sufficient.
Before filing a notice of appeal, you should:
- Find comparable properties in the municipal assessment roll; and
- Contact the assessment service provider to discuss how your assessment differs from the comparable properties.
***IMPORTANT
You must provide specific facts and evidence that support an error has been made in the:
- Assessed value of the property
- Classification of the property
- Preparation of the assessment roll or assessment notice; and/or
- Content of the assessment roll or assessment notice.
It is important that you speak with the assessor early in the appeal period. During the appeal period, but before the appeal is heard by the board of revision, parties to an appeal may:
- Agree to a new valuation or classification of a property; or
- Agree to changing the taxable or exempt status of a property.
This agreement must be in writing and is commonly known as the “agreement to adjust”. If this agreement resolves all matters on the appeal, the assessor shall make any changes necessary to reflect the agreement between the parties and you will provide written notice to the secretary of the board of revision that you are withdrawing your appeal. In this instance, your appeal fee will be refunded.
Can I withdraw an Appeal?
You may withdraw your appeal by notifying the secretary of the board of revision. The withdrawal must be in writing at least 15 days before the hearing date. Where an appeal is withdrawn, the appeal fee is refunded.
If the parties to an appeal reach an agreement to adjust the assessed value of the property, as discussed above, you must withdraw your appeal. Provide the written withdrawal to the secretary of the board of revision.