Gibsons council culls property tax exemptions

Gibsons council is cracking down on its permissive tax exemptions.

Citing tax equity and a desire to see organizations address the housing crisis, at its July 23 meeting, town council cut back exemptions for most churches as well as several other organizations and eliminated exemptions for most vacant land.

Last fall, Mayor Silas White sent a letter to applicants warning that council would be re-assessing their exemptions in 2024 and would consider how the organizations are addressing “housing, homelessness, environmental sustainability and other community priorities.”

“People think that permissive tax exemptions is them just letting people not pay their taxes, what they don’t realize is that the other taxpayers pay the taxes for those properties and those facilities,” said Coun. David Croal, as he voiced dismay that several organizations hadn’t substantively changed their applications.

“It’s all the taxpayers in town who are giving the exemptions,” said White.

In 2024, permissive tax exemptions––for charities, non-profits, philanthropic organizations, places of worship, athletic services and licensed care facilities––totalled $247,649 in Gibsons. The Town of Gibsons portion of that (the rest were taxes Gibsons collected for other authorities) was $95,807.

“As a council, we put out some fairly clear directives of what we were hoping these people who are receiving the permissive tax credits might consider doing,” said Croal. “I know it’s going to roll out like an orchestra of scorched cats, but hopefully we might get some positive results out of it.”

Council members also weighed whether parking should receive exemptions, noting some municipalities, like Victoria, are deeming those spaces ineligible, but no policy change came forward.

Exemptions tweaked

Here’s who council decided who would––and would not––be granted exemptions in 2025 and 2026 (to the end of council’s term):

While St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church maintained its 100 per cent exemption in light of its contributions to the community outside of its congregation, the five other churches saw their exemptions cut to 75 per cent, including their statutory exemptions. (Statutory exemptions are provincial or federal and assigned through BC Assessment with no input from municipalities.) Christ the King Community Church’s vacant lot, intended for a house of worship and academy, was not granted an exemption.

Council looked to send a message to Gibsons Legion, voicing disappointment that the Legion hasn’t done more work to investigate redeveloping their lot for housing, while acknowledging the community service the organization provides. For their undeveloped lot, the Legion received a 75 per cent exemption in 2025 and a 50 per cent exemption in 2026. The eligible portion of their building received a 100 per cent exemption. The area that’s used to generate income is taxed fully.

In light of their contributions to community, Gibsons Public Market and Sunshine Coast Kiwanis Village were granted 100 per cent exemptions, as were the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society’s properties on Franklin and Shaw Roads (with Coun. Stafford Lumley opposed to the latter organization’s exemption). While councillors discussed whether the market rentals within the affordable housing society’s buildings should be eligible for exemptions, Mayor Silas White noted that any rise in taxes would be paid in higher rents and that the non-profit keeps rents as low as possible.

While Sunshine Coast Community Services Society’s North Road property that currently houses the thrift shop received a 100 per cent exemption, council said next year they wanted to see a plan for building housing on the site.

Good Samaritan Canada, which operates the Christenson Village long-term care home, received a 75 per cent exemption (unchanged from previous years).

Gibsons Public Art Gallery owns an undevelopable lot that used to have a ramp up to Gibsons Way, council granted a 100 per cent exemption for that site (as well as the gallery site) and suggested working with the organization to build a staircase.

Finally, the Gibsons Curling Club, which was surprised with its first tax notice last year after BC Assessment reclassified the site it leases from the Town of Gibsons, received a 50 per cent exemption.

White pointed out that the club was classified as “commercial,” meaning their taxes are higher than those for other recreational activities. Croal and Lumley pointed out that it is a club with membership fees (and an apparently capped number of members), while Coun. Christi Thompson said the organization works hard at community inclusivity.

A new application from Sunshine Coast Community Services for an exemption for a commercial site they lease was denied and council passed a resolution that organizations leasing private commercial properties be ineligible for exemptions.

The bylaw solidifying 2025 permissive tax exemptions is to come forward in September.

– With files from Keili Bartlett