In effect, the vacant unit tax tries to compel some property owners to become landlords whether they want to or not — and it does nothing to help fix the housing shortage.

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Once the City of Ottawa identifies a new way to suck money from people, its appetite gets larger every year. Not satisfied with a one per cent penalty that effectively doubles a vacant property’s tax, the city now wants to gradually increase the potential penalty to five per cent.

The proposal goes to full city council Wednesday, but if its reception at committee is any indicator, approval will be a slam dunk. City staff say that raising the top penalty from one per cent of the assessed value of the home this year to two per cent next year will add $4 million in revenue, on top of the $12.6 million collected this year.

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