FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government is modernizing the province’s property assessment system by using specialized software called Pictometry imagery which provides high-resolution images of properties.
“We listened to New Brunswickers and we recognize the need for a more fair, transparent and predictable property assessment system,” said Government Services Minister Ed Doherty. “We are proud to deliver a system that will see homeowners have more precise information about their property’s value. The use of this smart technology will ensure that all properties are assessed in a similar way and more accurately.”
Desktop Review is used successfully in many other jurisdictions across Canada using Pictometry imagery. The department’s Property Assessment Services Branch will now update property data on a two-year cycle in urban areas and a four-year cycle in rural areas as opposed to the previous system where re-inspections were conducted every eight to 10 years or when the property was sold.
“Once implemented, this new system will ensure the process is transparent and equitable,” said Doherty. “Homeowners will be able to better predict year-after-year what their property assessment will look like. It will also decrease the level of fluctuations in assessments.”
The Desktop Review methodology is expected to be implemented this summer in time for the development of the 2016 Assessment Base.
08-05-15