‘A slap in the face’: Winnipeggers fear rising property assessments could bring tax hikes

CTV’s Joseph Bernacki has more from one Winnipeg resident who is concerned her latest property assessment could lead to a property tax hike.

Proposed property assessments from the city are hitting mailboxes this week, and some people are wondering why they have jumped.

Charleswood resident Cathy Heppner called her assessment a slap in the face. Her home has gone up 20 per cent in just two years, according to the city’s evaluation.

“I almost had a heart attack,” said Heppner.

Her house on Rannock Avenue was assessed at $477,000 two years ago, but now it’s being assessed at nearly $100,000 higher.

She said her family pays $4,200 in municipal, school and property taxes, and she fears that bill could go up due to the latest assessment.

“They’re going to make you pay $1,000 more a year for property taxes, and for what?

“All the people who are retired in this neighbourhood, how can they afford such a huge increase in their property taxes? Where is that money coming from? Where are they pulling it from?”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mayor Scott Gillingham encouraged residents to contact the city to understand why their assessments have gone up.

“I would remind people, though, there is not a direct correlation or an immediate correlation between an increase in your assessment and an increase in property taxes,” said Gillingham.

If Winnipeggers don’t agree with the assessment value, they do have the option of appealing.

Inkster-Faraday resident Jonathan Shkiler received five assessments, and he plans on appealing three.

He advises others who disagree with the city’s number to do the same.

“If you can use objective criteria and say, ‘Hey look, I think you’re a little bit aggressive on the reassessment because of X, Y, and Z,’ they’ll understand,” said Shkiler.

There is a link at the bottom of homeowners’ assessments that connects to the proper city department where they can appeal the evaluation.

The city said 584 residents appealed in 2023 and 783 in 2025.

Reassessments are required every two years under provincial legislation.

More than 216,000 proposed assessments were sent out in the latest round.

Heppner said she has an upcoming telephone appointment to appeal, but until she gets her decision, she isn’t holding out hope that she won’t see a property tax increase in the future.

“You would think that at some point, we would get some sort of a break on our taxes, but we’re not getting it,” said Heppner.