Richard Main and his wife have been living in the same Burnaby house he built with his own hands for more than 30 years.He even has the original construction plans for the property on Atlee Avenue.
And while there is space on the bottom floor for a secondary suite, it’s only ever been used by his kids when they were going to university.
So it was a bit of a surprise when in July, Main received a letter from the City of Burnaby informing him that he had a secondary suite and the property was subject the city’s new supplemental utility charge and garbage disposal fee.
And under the program, all property owners with a secondary suite are subject to the fees to cover the additional cost of providing increased water, sewer, garbage, and recycling services for suites.
The fees are 50 per cent of the home’s charge for water and sewer services and the medium garbage toter rate.
“I didn’t do anything. I’ve never rented any part of this joint and I don’t intend to,” Main told the NOW.
In his case, Main believes the city got word of a secondary suite in his home from the B.C. Assessment Authority.
A spokesperson for B.C. Assessment confirmed the organization and municipalities are allowed to share information under the Assessment Act.
The letter from the city states that if the owners believe they received the notice by error, they can request an inspection of the property.
Main, who said he didn’t have a problem with people paying more if they’re actually using the secondary suite, followed the directions and was sent a notice earlier this month informing him that the city would be contacting him in a few months to arrange an inspection of his home.
While he’s confident that his home will be taken off the list, he doesn’t believe he should have to go through the process in the first place. Main related the city’s approach to the fees as “negative billing,” in which companies charge for a service unless it’s declined.
“This is a case of grab them and get some money,” Main said. “I don’t get it. You just tick people off right off the bat.”
Since the city began sending notices out this summer, several residents have reached out to the NOW complaining about the changes.
When asked for an update on the program, Burnaby’s director of planning and building Lou Pelletier said the city is in the process of sending notices to houses that may expect a bill for having a secondary suite.
He reiterated residents have an opportunity to request an inspection and, if they don’t have a suite, they won’t get a bill.
“That’s the process we’re in to make sure people are aware they’ll have a bill coming,” he said.
But Main is so incensed by the situation he intends to take up the issue at an October city council meeting.
“This is straight wrong,” he said.
In the summer, Mayor Derek Corrigan defended the fees, arguing the program was put in place for people with suites to pay their fair share for additional infrastructure.
He also suggested the program went through extensive consultation back in the day and the majority of residents with secondary suites are accepting of the fees.
