Kamloops mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson's picture on his TNRD Director profile, which no longer exists on the Regional District's website/via TNRD
As communities across the province feel the squeeze of more and more downloading of costs for everything from infrastructure to dealing with social problems, the Mayor of Kamloops is suggesting the city policy of leasing land or buildings to BC Housing for a dollar may need to end.
Speaking on the NL Noon Report, Reid Hamer-Jackson says he thinks the policy doesn’t provide the best value for taxpayers, though he is yet to actually propose an end to the policy.
“The curling rink I think they were getting $40,000 a month when they had the shelter there and here we are giving our properties up for a dollar a year for three years with a two year extension of a dollar,” Hamer-Jackson said.
“Why are we leasing our properties for a dollar a year? I mean you take Penticton for instance; they just opened a recovery focused building on BC Housing’s property. Why not us? Why at the same time are we opening another harm-reduction – and again – I know we need harm reduction but again why at the same time are we opening one on Kingston Avenue and we’re leasing the property for a dollar a year? Why?”
Additionally, Hamer-Jackson points out that when BC Housing buys an apartment building or hotel for social housing, it shrinks the tax base.
“We’re losing the tax revenue on the Lamplighter. We’re losing a lot of tax revenue when they buy these buildings and yet we’ve got a property down the road – so they just paid $13-million for a property – and yet down the road we got a property we’re leasing out for a dollar a year,” he said.
“That’s to me not helping the citizens, it’s not helping our tax base.”
The provisional budget for 2024 shows Kamloops residents could be facing a property tax increase of 10.8-per-cent, with additional increases to water rates of up to 63-per-cent over five years.
City council has also approved increases to the solid waste and sewer rates in 2024. Solid waste fees will jump around 7-per cent, or $22 in 2024, while sewer rates are set to rise 2.5-per cent, or $12.
