Tax revenue vs use study in Mapleton

By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com, Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay

Per an article appearing in the Toronto Star on December 6, 2021, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture is working alongside the Wellington Federation of Agriculture (WFA) examining the costs of performing community services in the town of Mapleton, Ontario—specifically if farm taxes can support its own local and government services.

Different types of land—residential vs farm—are taxed differently, though homes on a farmland are taxed as residential.

The study seeks to examine how farmland and its taxes for local government can provide services for those categorized as being part of the agricultural tax class.  

The WFA is hoping the study will allow ag communities such as Mapleton to utilize farmland tax revenues for municipal needs to help maintain infrastructure projects such as roadways or bridges—things it appears the farm communities utilize, in this case, more than the more residential community.

In the early stages still, the study is not yet looking at an actual budgetary aspect.

The study will continue for at least the next two years.