B.C. Property Assessment Appeals Dead line is January 31, 2007

Rick Thorpe, British Columbia’s Minister Responsible for the British Columbia Assessment Authority would like to remind all snowbirds who own residences in the Province of British Columbia that the deadline for appealing your 2007 property assessment notice is January 31, 2007 .

In order to request a formal review of your property assessment you must notify the assessment office in writing by filing a notice of complaint with the assessor by January 31, 2007 at 12:00 a.m. PST. To request a review, you must include the following information about the property:

  • your full name
  • your mailing address
  • your home and business phone numbers
  • statement as to whether or not you are the owner of the property in question
  • the Assessment Roll number
  • the property (address and legal) description
  • your reason for requesting a review
  • if you appoint an agent, the full name of the
  • agent and the agent’s business phone number

Additional information on the appeal process is available at www.bcassessment.ca and www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/parp or can be obtained by calling 1-877-356-9313.

EPCA-2 test for prostate cancer
The last issue of CSANews described a new test used to detect prostate cancer earlier and more efficiently than the PSA test. Unfortunately, the test is still being researched in the United States and is not yet available. We apologize for any inconvenience, and will keep you updated on the availability of the test.
Passport Required
Effective January 23, 2007, all persons (including U.S. citizens and Canadian citizens) travelling by air will require a valid passport to enter and re-enter the United States. This is of particular interest to snowbirds who may have driven to the United States for the winter but will return to Canada for a family reunion or emergency by air.

Please also keep this in mind if a relative will be flying south to assist you with the return of your vehicle at the end of your winter down south.

Passports could be required for land crossings as early as January 1, 2008.

Recognizing that a passport is the single, universally recognized document that proves both an individual’s identity as well as citizenship, the CSA recommends that all travellers carry a valid passport when travelling internationally.