233 - Increase Land Size Cutoff for Assessments | Manitoba

Summary#

This short bill changes Manitoba’s Municipal Assessment Act.
It raises a land-size cutoff used in the assessment rules from 0.81 hectare (about 2 acres) to 5 hectares (about 12 acres) in three parts of section 23(1).
The change takes effect when the bill receives royal assent.
Key points:
- Replaces “0.81 hectare” with “5 hectares” in three places that guide how certain properties are classified for assessment and property taxes.
- The larger cutoff will affect how some rural and semi‑rural parcels are grouped for tax purposes.
- Properties between about 2 and 12 acres are the most likely to see a change in how they are assessed.
- The law comes into force immediately on assent.

Rural homeowners and small‑acreage owners
- If your lot is between about 2 and 12 acres, the way your land is classified for property tax may change.
- Your tax bill could go up or down depending on how your property was classified before and how it is classified after the change.
- It may change how much of your land is counted in one assessment class versus another.
- You can contact your local assessment office to ask how section 23(1) applies to your property.
Farmers and farmstead owners
- The rule change may affect how the land around your home and buildings is treated for assessment.
- If your farm includes small parcels or yard sites in the 2–12 acre range, their classification may change under the new cutoff.
Municipalities and local governments
- Assessment rolls will need updating to reflect the new 5‑hectare threshold.
- Some tax burden may shift among property owners whose parcels fall near the old and new cutoffs.
- Communicating the change to affected owners can help avoid surprises on tax bills.