The City of Revelstoke has received its annual grant in lieu of property taxes from the provincial government.
For 2020 the amount is $23,316, which is in line with what the city received in previous years, said Tania McCabe, Revelstoke’s chief financial officer.
In 2019, the city received $22,565, in 2018 $40,936 and in 2017 $20,996.
Revelstoke is one of 54 communities in B.C. to receive part of $16 million.
“We’re proud to support the important work local governments do every day to create jobs, strengthen our local economies and deliver the services British Columbians rely on,” said Selina Robinson, minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Citizens’ Services, in a news release. “These annual grants play a critical role in helping local governments with planning – they use the funding to provide vital services and infrastructure that help improve people’s lives.”
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Each November, the province pays grants in lieu of property taxes to municipalities and regional districts for services they provide in their communities, such as parks, sewers, roads and fire protection.
The grants are for properties owned by the provincial government, such as office buildings, warehouses and courthouses. Municipalities use these grants to fund and maintain priority public services and local infrastructure projects.
Grant calculations are determined under the Municipal Aid Act.
Provincially owned properties are exempt from taxes under the federal Constitution Act. However, for certain properties, such as government buildings, the province pays a grant in lieu of taxes.
Other provincially owned properties, such as roads and parks, are exempt from paying grants in lieu of taxes under the Municipal Aid Act. Schools and hospitals are also exempt under the law as they are not owned by the provincial government.
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