A total of 34 permissive tax exemptions are on the list for Port Coquitlam properties next year.
But the Atira Women's Resource Society should be stripped off — at least for now, the mayor says.
The society, which provides transitional housing and supportive services in The Alex for women fleeing domestic violence and abuse, is seeking a permissive tax exemption of $34,658 for the property at 2117 Prairie Ave., where it has a new centre; the land is owned by Metro Vancouver.
Atira, which has signed a long-term lease to provide 72 social housing units, as well as 11 townhomes, a daycare and community healthcare hub, received a one-year permissive tax exemption from the City of Port Coquitlam for 2023 because it was under construction, city staff said.
But now that it's operational, Mayor Brad West claimed Atira isn't meeting its commitments as noted in its rezoning hearing and, as a result, its permissive tax exemption should stop.
Specifically, Atira promised PoCo residents would have priority at The Alex for housing, West said. As well, it vowed to run a safe housing development, but the neighbourhood has raised concerns.
West said it's incumbent on council to ensure Atira is fulfilling its obligations to the community "rather than providing a carte blanche."
"They're asking to be forgiven on their property taxes….Once the city has confidence then we can reconsider" the request for permissive tax exemption, he said.
His comments were echoed by Coun. Steve Darling, council's community safety designate.
Still, Coun. Glenn Pollock, who helped to get The Alex built, touched on the leadership changes at Atira with the departure of Janice Abbott following a conflict-of-interest scandal this spring. He said the interim executive director, Catherine Roome, is auditing the society's books.
This week, Vancouver city council OK'd nearly $800,000 in grants to Atira after it paused funding in May.
Atira runs about 3,000 homes for women, children and gender-diverse people in Metro Vancouver.
Meanwhile, Pollock said he plans to meet with provincial government representatives on Friday, Oct. 6, about the community health centre that was also promised at The Alex.
"Atira should get this house in order," Pollock said, with Couns. Nancy McCurrach and Paige Petriw also expressing their disappointment that the society didn't follow through with its vision.
"I'm hoping it can be restored to what it was meant to be," McCurrach said.
Mayor West's recommendation to withhold tax exemption will advance to council next Tuesday, Oct. 10 (Coun. Dean Washington wasn't present for the committee of council vote on Oct. 3).
Shelly Ryan, PoCo's manager of revenue services, said under the provincial government's Community Charter requirements, a city decision needs to be made by Oct. 31 — by bylaw — for the 2024 permissive tax exemptions to proceed.
PoCo’s permissive tax exemptions, which total about $700,000 a year, apply to all property taxes, including municipal taxes and all other taxing authorities such as the school tax, Metro Vancouver, TransLink, BC Assessment and the Municipal Finance Authority.
