Report to: General Committee Date of Meeting: May 28, 2007

SUBJECT: Delegation of Signing Authority – MPAC Agreements

PREPARED BY: Paul Wealleans, Director, Taxation

RECOMMENDATIONS:

THAT the report entitled “Delegation of Signing Authority – MPAC Agreements” be received;

AND THAT the Treasurer and/or the Director of Taxation be authorized to sign the annual municipal license agreement on behalf of The Corporation of the Town of Markham with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), and beginning in 2008, the proposed perpetual license agreements as well as supplementary and omitted assessment Product Use Sheet agreements required to be signed prior to receipt of every supplementary or omitted assessment roll;

AND THAT staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This report requests Council authorization for the delegation of signing authority on behalf of the Town for MPAC license agreements to the Treasurer and / or the Director of Taxation.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

None.

PURPOSE:

This report requests Council authorization for the delegation of signing authority on behalf of the Town for MPAC license agreements to the Treasurer and / or the Director of Taxation.

BACKGROUND:

In 2006, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) revised the licensing agreements that had been in place between it and Ontario municipalities. These licensing agreements cover the use and control of assessment data provided by MPAC. The revised license agreements cover the 2007 year and require signature by both MPAC and authorized municipal staff. In the past, these agreements have been signed by the Director of Taxation but with the revised comprehensive agreements in 2006, it is recommended by staff that this signing authority be formally approved by Council to allow these agreements to be signed on an annual basis, as necessary, or a perpetual license agreement as is being considered by MPAC beginning in 2008.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

There are five agreements that cover services and products that MPAC licenses: a main “license foundation agreement” that outlines the general use of property assessment information collected by MPAC for municipal use whether it is provided by electronic or paper version as well as four separate “product use sheets” that cover:

(1) access control to assessment roll data provided to the public at municipal offices either in hard copy or by electronic means;

(2) the protection of any assessment data elements that might be included on the Town’s website by means of unique PIN number;

(3) same as (2) but only key identifier assessment data elements can be provided and must be password protected; and

(4) "Municipal Connect" use.

"Municipal Connect" is a MPAC online website that is accessed by municipalities only to view assessment data relative to the municipality though password protected access. It will eventually replace the need for the production of CDs or tapes for year end or supplementary data that have been the source of assessment data for municipalities.

These agreements are “housekeeping” agreements that permits municipalities the right to use MPAC data for billing, research purposes and availability to the general public.

In addition, municipalities receive supplementary and omitted assessment rolls four or five times throughout the year. Before the municipality receives the supplementary assessment data on which the bills are generated, a “Product Use Sheet” agreement must be signed by municipal staff. These agreements have also been revised and it is recommended that authorization to sign these also be obtained.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable.

ENGAGE 21^st CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable.

Legal Services.

RECOMMENDED BY:

________________________ ________________________

Barb Cribbett Andy Taylor

Treasurer Commissioner, Corporate Services