Data collection enhancements could ease drudgery for Ontario commercial and multi-residential ratepayers required to submit annual income and expense information to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). The provincial assessment agency has launched the 2025 information collection campaign, which runs until July 14, touting updates to its online portal that will allow users to avoid re-entering data that is unchanged from the previous year.

Under Ontario’s Assessment Act, MPAC is authorized to collect financial data about income-producing properties to maintain up-to-date records that can underpin fair assessments and contribute to an accurate and comprehensive picture of value and market trends. Details related to revenues, expenses and the rent roll, where applicable, are requested annually for commercial/industrial properties, multifamily rental buildings, mixed-use properties, hotels, motels, large resorts, golf courses, land lease and mobile home parks, retirement residences and long-term care facilities.

Notification letters were recently mailed to subject ratepayers. MPAC is now encouraging responses via its online portal, but also allows other electronic and paper-based means of conveying the mandatory information.

Ratepayers who opt for the online portal will see enhancements this year that should improve navigation through the document. They will also be able to choose a pre-population option, which presents the previous year’s submission that can then be edited to update information where necessary. As well, a new summary page will allow users to review their information inputs before submitting them, while other new viewing options will allow them to retrieve and read completed submissions for 2025 and the previous year.