Three nonprofits in Port Coquitlam likely won’t be paying property taxes for the next five years.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the city’s committee of council advanced the bids from the Hyde Creek Watershed Society, Kinsmen Club of Port Coquitlam and the Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society to council for formal approval by Oct. 31.
Coun. Dean Washington was not at the committee meeting.
Revenue services manager Shelly Ryan told the committee that the renewal applications for property tax exemption meet the legislative and policy requirements and, if approved, will be applied for the 2025–29 period.
Section 220 of the Community Charter allows for statutory tax relief for properties like schools, hospitals, libraries, civic land and places of worship; permissive tax exemptions, under Section 224, gives councils the discretion for properties owned or held by a charitable, philanthropic or another nonprofit group.
Besides municipal taxes, organizations that receive permission are also exempt from paying school taxes and levies to Metro Vancouver, TransLink, BC Assessment and the Municipal Finance Authority.
In her report, Ryan stated the municipal tax portion for the Hyde Creek Watershed Society property (3636 Coast Meridian Rd.) equals $9,982 while the Kinsmen Club's property (2175 Coquitlam Ave.) is $14,277.
The Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society's museum and archives (150-2248 McAllister Ave.) is $7,617, for a combined total of $31,876 for the three groups.
Ryan said the exemptions that council previously approved will continue for the 2025 taxation year.
The 2024 tax exemptions, which total $753,981, are (in alphabetical order):
- Affordable Housing Charitable Association = $6,832
- City of Port Coquitlam = $32,852
- Cheshire Homes Society of BC = $3,607
- Community Integration Services Society = $6,691
- Coquitlam Chinese Evangelical Bible Church = $18,066
- Coquitlam Chinese Evangelical Free Church = $15,794
- Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada = $186,714
- Hope Lutheran Church = $10,823
- Hyde Creek Streamkeepers = $10,033
- Innervisions Recovery Society of BC = $2,603
- Innervisions Recovery Society of BC = $2,741
- Kinsight Community Society = $3,204
- Kinsight Community Society = $52,415
- Kinsight Community Society = $2,668
- Kinsight Community Society = $2,994
- New Chelsea Society = $10,732
- New View Society = $2,723
- Our Lady of Assumption church and elementary = $71,056
- PLEA Community Services Society = $6,401
- PLEA Community Services Society = $7,056
- PLEA Community Services Society = $8,275
- Port Coquitlam Heritage = $7,668
- Port Coquitlam Kinsmen Club = $14,277
- Port Coquitlam Pentecostal Assembly = $19,206
- Port Coquitlam Seniors Housing = $20,678
- Royal Canadian Legion, branch 133 = $19,141
- Southside Baptist Church = $19,418
- The Church in Coquitlam = $39,330
- Tri-City Islamic Centre = $24,814
- Tri-City Canaan Church = $24,329
- Tri-City Church = $31,222
- Trustees of Trinity Congregation of the United Church = $25,562
- Vancouver Bible Presbyterian = $34,879
- Victory Baptist Church = $9,157
Meanwhile, city staff will provide a report to council about recycling services at civic facilities with property tax exemptions.
In other PoCo news…
Port Coquitlam’s committee on Tuesday also OK’d a proposed update to the city’s fees and charges bylaw.
If approved by council, the bylaw will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
For recreation rates, the city is planning a two per cent bump to admission and rental fees to reflect market trends — bringing in $60,000 more for the municipal coffers.
The proposed increase would equal 13 cents more for a single adult entry and an additional six cents for kids’ admission, as well as $2.27 more for a local nonprofit youth group for ice rental per hour.
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