Published 20 days ago • loading... • Updated 19 days ago

BC Assessment Bills Pensioner Nearly $2K to Access His Own Property Records

Andy Ross, an 80-year-old homeowner in Youbou on a fixed income, was charged $1,930 by BC Assessment for accessing records related to his property appeal.
On April 1, 2025, Ross filed three requests under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain internal policy documents, but because he was classified as a commercial requester, the agency was able to disregard individual fee exemptions.
Ross, part of the Youbou Appeal Group formed to contest high assessments, faced a lengthy appeal process in 2023 and 2024, but his $2.34 million property was not among those with reduced assessments.
Jason Anson, the group’s expert witness, described it as outrageous that BCA treated Ross as a commercial entity, escalated his request to legal counsel, and charged nearly $2,000 for the records.
Ross’s fee-waiver request is pending after BCA stated it complies with FOI laws, but concerns remain about transparency, fairness, and accountability in how Ross’s case was handled.

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