On Tuesday July 25, Prince Edward County Council voted to direct the drafting of a by-law to expand the Municipal Financial Relief Program to grant property tax breaks to qualifying low-income households.

The program expansion will enable access for primary residents who remit property tax payments via a third party, such as a condominium association or landowner of a leasehold community.

Residents of the Wellington on the Lake leasehold community had originally voiced concern over their inadmissibility to the program, as Mayor Steve Ferguson noted in the associated resolution’s introduction.

"I think it's inconsistent that... in this case Wellington on the Lake should not have the ability to apply for the property tax credit, even though they are eligible to also apply for the water credit."

Council also discussed whether to further expand or create a similar program for renters in the county. During the exchange, Sophiasburgh Councillor Bill Roberts brought up an alarming report about growing numbers of the middle class exiting home ownership and entering the rental market:

"[The] Harvard Center for the Study of Housing...published a study saying that the largest single demographic of people leaving home ownership and going into rental is households of $75,000...the middle class is giving up on home ownership," Roberts said.

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