Close to 45K for Prince Rupert as Provincial Government distributes Payments in Lieu of taxes

The British Columbia Court House makes for the largest
provincial property in use in Prince Rupert 

Today is distribution day for the BC Government, as the Ministry of Citizens' Service releases the listings of which community, will receive how much, for 2022.

The Grants in lieu program is one which reimburses local municipalities throughout the province for the services they provide to the public and their support of local infrastructure, such as parks, municipally run sewers, roads and fire protection. 

The Grants cover land and property owned by the provincial government, such as office buildings, warehouses and courthouses. 

Schools and hospitals are exempt from paying municipal property taxes and are not part of the grants-in-lieu calculation. 

Also excluded from compensation under the Municipal Aid Act are provincial assets, such as highways, forests, and parks or land under the control, management or administration of a Crown corporation.

For Prince Rupert distribution day means that the City will receive 44,917 dollars in reimbursement for the local provincial footprint, which is mostly through the BC Court House and the local government's Agents office in town.

The migration of provincial services and need for office space or buildings shifted over two decades ago, that as the BC Government of the day centralized much of the region's provincial footprint in Terrace.

The centralization of those services something that has never been reversed since that time.

As a result of that shift, across the Northwest, Terrace has largest volume of provincial offices and from that receives $179,469, Smithers with a strong presence for the Ministry of Forests is next at $159,364

The full list of communities in the North can be reviewed below, with the exception of Kitimat which is missing from the list provided today, which may indicate that they have no provincial facilities in the District to gain payment from.

Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services outlined how the province views the annual funding release.

“Through our annual grants-in-lieu program, we’re supporting the essential work local governments do to build stronger communities and provide the services people depend on. This funding helps improve people’s lives by giving municipalities extra resources to plan, enhance and build vital local services and amenities.” 

The province wide announcement can be reviewed here.  

More notes on themes from the Legislature can be reviewed from our archive pages.