Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

City council approves 0% tax increase for non-residential property in Grande Prairie

May 3, 2022 | 6:00 AM

After a long discussion, Grande Prairie city council has approved a new property tax bylaw that will see non-residential property owners also see a zero per cent increase in the municipal portion this year.

Council approved doing the same for residential property at its last meeting.

Councillor Kevin O’Toole says citizens and businesses in Grande Prairie have had it pretty rough lately.

“This is support, keeping the taxes to zero. (It) shows that we’re going forward with the opportunity to keep the taxes, both residential and commercial, at (a) zero per cent increase.”

O’Toole adds business owners had been looking for a break like this.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

“Over the last two years … a lot of businesses have been reaching out. When it comes to taxation laws, there are a lot of things that you just can’t do, even though you want to show support. It’s just part of the Municipal Government Act. There are restrictions like you wouldn’t believe.”

Councillor Dylan Bressey voted against the idea. He says council needs to consider if tax decreases should go to residential on non residential.

“There is a big impulse in this community to lower residential taxes, but residential taxes are high not because we are spending too much money compared to other municipalities, but because we’ve placed a higher proportion of our property tax on the residential side (rather than) the commercial side.”

Bressey says when people complain about higher taxes in the city, they are usually referring to residential.

“We’re a lot more competitive on the non-residential side than we are on the residential side.”

“Every time somebody brings up tax rates in Grande Prairie compared to another municipality with me, they’re almost always talking about what’s going on with our residential taxes, not with our non-residential taxes.”

The change only impacts the municipal portion of property taxes and does not take into account assessment changes or any possible increase in the education portion.

The proposed tax increase for both resident and non-residential had been 1.16 per cent. Council has approved using around $1.4 million from a reserve fund to make up the difference. That reserve fund still holds more than $15 million.