Whereas in 1988, the Province surveyed municipal tax collectors to obtain information on the effectiveness of tax sale and comments on the process, And whereas the tax sale process is both onerous and costly to municipalities: Therefore be it resolved that the Province of British Columbia be requested to conduct a survey of municipal tax collectors immediately to obtain current information on the effectiveness of tax sale and their comments on the process.
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development While the Province is open to finding reasonable efficiencies in the tax sale system, it is important to note that the process is not designed only with municipal collection effectiveness in mind. Tax sale involves the confiscatory power of the state to legally seize and transfer an individuals or companys private property. Because of the far reaching implications of such authority, it must be used judiciously and under a strict statutory process. In previous years, the Province surveyed municipal tax collectors and issued a discussion paper on the tax sale process, which indicated that a relatively modest minority of properties typically go to tax sale, and that the current process is highly successful in avoiding confiscation and transfer of private property. The Province wants to ensure that any municipal suggestions for altering the current process do not potentially compromise these aims.