Despite concerns from some of Kamloops council, a new school site acquisition tax will not be charged outside of city limits.
The fee will be applied to the lots of new homes over the next 10 years, to help pay for the cost of buying land in Aberdeen to build new schools on. It will be $288 for new single-family homes, $259 for low-density multi-family homes like townhouses, and $201 for high-density multi-family homes like condos.
Kamloops Thompson School District director of facilities, Art McDonald, says that fee will not be charged on new homes in places like Tobiano or Savona, even if kids from there attend the new schools.
“It’s only within the City of Kamloops, and that’s based on the fact we’re not seeing growth in any other areas, and we could not make the argument to the (Ministry of Education) to apply it to those areas,” McDonald told Kamloops council on Tuesday afternoon.
“Tobiano, yes there is growth, but again we look at the schools and which schools are affected, and where we need to acquire property to place new schools.”
Several council members, including Coun. Mike O’Reilly, have pointed out families living in new homes in Tobiano, Savona, Sun Rivers or other outlying communities may use those schools but are exempt from the tax.
“I just didn’t see that as the most equitable way to do that for the people living in Kamloops. You don’t have to drive very far; you drive one minute, two minutes across the river and you’re not paying this fee. But you’re still using the schools that the rest of Kamloops is paying for to be built,” O’Reilly told NL News in December.
The school district expects to spend $7.28 million on 17 acres land in Aberdeen. It can raise up to 35 per cent, or $2.54 million, through the school site acquisition tax.
The school district’s master plan calls for three new schools in Aberdeen, including a high school and two elementary schools.
School district staff also told council today that the new tax is expected to be approved by the Ministry of Education later this spring.
