After heavy rainfall in 2021, Chris Rampersad’s property on Chilliwack Lake Road narrowly missed massive damage, as a landslide halted about five metres before his home according to the Vancouver Sun.
Rampersad felt lucky at the time but little did he know that his property problems were just beginning.
In 2024, Rampersad was advised the province assessed his property at a measly $2: $1 for the home and $1 for the land it was located on. The year prior Rampersad’s property was valued at $780,000, the Sun reported.
But, that isn’t the worst part. Rampersad was told the province will be offering no financial assistance whatsoever.
Why Rampersad’s property was valued so low
As a result of the torrential rainfall that pounded the Fraser Valley and other B.C. areas in 2021, Rampersad and multiple other property owners in the Chilliwack River Valley face heightened landslide risks. These landslide risks are the driving factor behind Rampersad’s $2 assessment value.
Because the government deemed his home was unsafe to live in due to the environmental risks, it became virtually worthless as it could not be put for sale on the market. On its website, BC Assessment — the province’s property assessment organization — notes that assessed values are based on the “market value” of the property. Because Rampersad’s property was unable to be sold, the market value sank to virtually nothing.
Five other residents in the Chilliwack River Valley area were delivered similar troubling news, the Sun reported.
All the residents impacted by the landslide risks were told the province would not be providing financial assistance or buying out their properties due to their inability to be sold. Why?
Why the province isn’t stepping up
In communications with the Sun, representatives from the province explained that property owners can only receive financial assistance under the disaster assistance program if their properties sustained physical damage.
The disaster assistance program, “is unable to provide compensation for damage or erosion of land,” a spokesperson for the Emergency Management Ministry said in a written statement.
In contrast, a number of provinces have either prepared to or have financially assisted property owners affected by natural disasters in similar ways. The province of Alberta bought out numerous homes in 2014 — totaling nearly $84 million — affected by floods, the Calgary Herald reported. New Brunswick compensated dozens of property owners that could return to their uninhabitable homes due to a landslide in Daniel’s Harbor, CBC News found.
The question remains, however: what can property owners do with a low assessment report?
What to do if your property value seems unfairly low
If you’re wondering what to do if you face a low property value assessment from BC Assessment this year, it does have an appeal program with a number of steps.
For starters, simply call BC Assessment at 1-866-825-8322 to discuss the result. The provincial entity noted that a number of assessment issues are resolved through direct communications with B.C. residents.
If that doesn’t work in your favour, you’ll need to make a formal appeal with the Property Assessment Review Panel (PARP) by filing a complaint. Keep in mind that the due date for this process is January 31 of each year.
If that route bears no fruit, you can file an appeal of that decision to the Property Assessment Appeal Board by April 30 after you receive a decision from the PARP.
If you decide to appeal a BC Assessment report on your property, the process can be quite intensive. Getting help from a legal professional is typically a prudent choice as you will need to provide extensive evidence as to why you’re appealing the decision.
Advice to keep in mind before buying a B.C. property
If you’re thinking of purchasing property in beautiful B.C. and are worried about buying land that turns into an environmental risk, try following this advice from the B.C. Government:
- Do your due diligence: As part of your research into a potential property, make sure to review the property closely for marks of historical landslide activity or potential issues. This could include dirty flowing water on the property or tension cracks on a nearby slope. Asking neighbors about the property can also reveal important history.
- Check with experts: If you’re using a realtor for a property purchase, they can likely access documents about the properties past environmental hazards. If you have large concerns, consulting a geotechnical engineer or geoscientist can provide you with more information.
- Obtain formal reports where possible: If ordinary research by your realtor or from a home inspection doesn’t reveal anything telling, try getting formal documentation. The local government that services the property’s area may have watershed or landslide hazard mapping documents on the property. In addition, requesting a title search from the Land Titles Office could reveal restrictive covenants related to landslide hazards on the property.
British Columbia is a beautiful place to live, home to larger-than-life Rockies, rolling hills and lush forests teeming with wildlife. But living so closely intertwined with nature means playing by her rules. Make sure you know all the risks facing a property before you sign an offer.
Sources
1. Vancouver Sun: This B.C. man’s home was assessed at just $2 due to landslide risk, by Gordon Hoekstra (May 26, 2025)
2. BC Assessments: Understanding the assessment process
3. Calgary Herald: Flood payouts include $33 million for 11 homes in Roxboro (Oct 8, 2014)
4. CBC News: Landslide-hit N.L. town gets move-out order (Nov 17, 2009)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
