The MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson has introduced a bill that hopes to allow municipalities in the province to reduce property taxes on unused airspace above small businesses.
Todd Stone says the bill will create an optional commercial property sub-class, allowing local governments to set the tax rate that works best for them.
“There are entire neighbourhoods especially in the Lower Mainland being hollowed out where small businesses have faced increases in their property tax obligations to 500 per cent increases over a two to three year period,” Stone said.
“In many cases, you are talking tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional tax burden.”
He tells NL News that Municipal Affairs Minister Selina Robinson has promised action to reduce small business taxes, and he is hoping the government acts soon.
“She had said just before Christmas that she was gonna take action in early 2020,” Stone said. “It’s almost the end of February now, and there is still no action. The problem is that as every month goes by, more and more organizations are facing the difficult decision of having to lay employees off and close their doors.”
Stone first introduced his bill last October, but it died on the Order Paper in the Legislature when the last session ended. He says the bill he’s tabled offers real solutions.
“It’s bringing forward a solution that was not written by me, it was actually written by a huge number of the local governments in Metro Vancouver and small business organizations,” said Stone.
“We’re saying as the official opposition, here’s a viable solution that would provide some help that the government should call for debate. We could have this in place in a matter of weeks.”