Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 20/99) - Elders may soon have fewer government forms to fill out.

Those 65 years old and older, who reside in the NWT and own property, may soon not have to fill out the seniors' property tax credit form each year.

Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko recently brought the issue up in the legislature.

"Rebates for programs such as your property tax assessment and your fuel subsidy should be automatically given every year," he said.

"What is (the government) doing to streamline the system?"

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Vince Steen, said his department was working with others to try to streamline the process.

The requirements to get the rebate are that the elder is older than 65 years old, owns property and lives in the NWT.

One possible way to streamline the process is to consult a land titles registry to determine if the senior citizen still owns property, according to MACA's director of community operations, Dennis Adams.

"We're committed to look at several options," he said.

"There may be other things that we can do in terms of verification."

He suggested another option is to look at a multi-year verification form where instead of filing forms every year, seniors would file forms every five years.

Another idea is to ask community councils to confirm, by way of a council resolution, that the individual still owns property and is a resident.

Cities, towns and villages such as Hay River, Inuvik and Fort Smith have the power to tax property within their boundaries.

Hamlets, charter communities and settlements such as Enterprise, Fort McPherson and Jean Marie River are all in an area where the GNWT has the direct responsibility to tax.

"That's where we'd be directly involved in the relief program," Adams said of the smaller communities.

He said if the larger towns and cities apply a rebate to seniors, the GNWT will reimburse the community council half the amount they chose to apply as a tax relief.