Mississauga is studying a proposal to have owners whose property has a high percentage of hard surface pay a higher levy than those whose property has more soft landscaping.

The rationale is that charges would be based on how much of a burden the property puts on the city’s storm-water management system.

Martin Powell, the city’s transportation and works commissioner, says, “If your property is completely paved and built over, you would pay a higher rate than someone who’s got 90 per cent grass.”

Mississauga council has given initial approval to move storm-water infrastructure and maintenance costs off the property tax bill to something like a user-fee system, where the more of the storm-water system you use, the more a property owner pays. The levy would be charged on top of regular property taxes.

It is expected the proposal will receive final council approval by the end of the year.