Ms. Balkos’ practice includes planning and advising in the areas of goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST), retail sales tax, land transfer tax, and employer health tax. She also has experience filing Notices of Objection and resolving disputes in these areas and making voluntary disclosures to the Canada Revenue Agency and the Ministry of Finance. 

She is also involved in all areas of law relating to real property assessments and municipal taxation. She regularly reviews and appeals property assessments to the Assessment Review Board and negotiates with municipal and agency representatives. She has expertise in dealing with the assessments of hotels, office buildings, industrial and other special use properties, warehouses, distribution centres, shopping centres, apartment buildings and development lands. She advises non-profit and charitable organizations on matters of exemption from taxation as well as federal and provincial agencies obligated to payment-in-lieu-of tax on their land holdings. In addition, Ms. Balkos files vacant unit rebate applications and other property tax rebate applications with municipalities and provides advice on the changes and implications of legislative changes and property tax policy reform.   

Prior to joining Miller Thomson LLP, Ms. Balkos co-invented and obtained a patent for a kitchen tool that was recently featured on the Dragons' Den.   

She received her Bachelor of Science majoring in Biology from the University of Toronto and completed a semester of her legal studies at the City University of Hong Kong. During her spare time, Ms. Balkos enjoys golf, tennis and travelling. She is also an avid photographer and was honoured to be a part of 2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival exhibiting four photographs as part of a group exhibit.