A new report has found a vulnerable senior in Penticton, B.C., lost her home and hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity after the city auctioned off her house — for a third of its assessed value — over just $10,000 in unpaid property taxes. After her mother died in 2013, Wilson stayed in the home and became responsible for paying the property taxes. In B.C., municipal governments can collect outstanding property taxes by selling the house at auction two years after the taxes were first due. The minimum bid at auction is only the amount of the unpaid taxes, interest, penalties, and some fees — no matter the actual value of the home. City declines to compensate WilsonChalke recommended the city pay Wilson $140,922 to compensate her for some of the equity she lost.

Source: CBC News December 08, 2021 22:13 UTC