Richard Froese
South Peace News
The Town of High Prairie and taxpayers are being saddled with paying almost $90,000 in property taxes for more than 50 residential properties.
At its regular meeting Nov. 14, council learned that High Prairie is left paying the bill on more than 50 properties reported by CAO Bill McKennan.
While the provincial government pays only 50 per cent of taxes on property it owns in municipalities, social housing doesn’t pay anything, he says.
Social housing in the town is costing the local municipality for uncollectible taxes.
“We’re losing more money from social housing,” McKennan says.
“It’s problematic for communities.”
He says it all started eight years ago.
“Elimination of the grants-in-lieu of taxes program in 2015 has placed an extra burden of roughly $88,500 per year on taxpayers of High Prairie,” McKennan says.
He notes the figure covers exempt housing units, mainly social housing.
Taxpayers are responsible for covering the requisition payments for 55 exempt social housing properties.