VICTORIA - Today, 64 communities across British Columbia will share $16.9 million in compensation for municipal property taxes.

Grants-in-lieu of property taxes are distributed as a way to reimburse municipalities for services that benefited government properties, such as sewers, roads and fire protection. The amounts paid are based on the assessed value of the properties and the municipality's tax rate.

In accordance with the Municipal Aid Act, a grant-in-lieu is payable on land owned by the provincial government, such as courthouses, provincial government office buildings, ambulance stations and warehouses. It is not provided for highways, forests, parks or land under the control, management or administration of a Crown corporation. Schools and hospitals are also exempt from paying municipal property taxes and will not receive a grant-in-lieu.

Since 2002, the Government of British Columbia has distributed more than $173 million as grants-in-lieu to B.C. municipalities. Each municipality distributes a portion of the funds to its regional district, and those governments use the money to help pay for local services.

The funds are distributed electronically on behalf of the Province by the Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government.

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Melody Wey
Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government
250 508-5030

BACKGROUNDER

Municipalities receiving grants-in-lieu in 2011

Municipality 2011 / GIL Payment ($)
100 Mile House - 23,065.09
Abbotsford - 211,285.66
Burnaby - 858,443.42
Burns Lake - 7,206.67
Campbell River - 73,540.34
Castlegar - 21,936.28
Chilliwack - 45,245.68
Coquitlam - 723,755.54
Courtenay - 34,978.80
Cranbrook - 28,495.95
Creston - 13,266.73
Dawson Creek - 121,168.81
Delta - 25,123.40
Fernie - 3,027.01
Fort St. James - 35,131.30
Fort St. John - 104,162.43
Golden - 4,403.16
Hazelton - 23,671.30
Hope - 13,169.69
Houston - 3,635.35
Kamloops - 1,234,641.52
Kelowna - 352,917.33
Kent - 2,454.24
Kitimat - 7,801.22
Lumby - 3,424.34
Maple Ridge - 1,081,780.90
Masset - 23,441.77
McBride - 3,544.47
Merritt - 28,146.99
Nakusp - 6,115.60
Nanaimo - 370,965.24
Nelson - 189,855.23
New Westminster - 250,868.14
North Vancouver - 100,162.63
Northern Rockies (RD) - 44,570.25
Oliver - 4,205.22
Parksville - 25,925.72
Penticton - 86,842.86
Port Alberni - 59,261.47
Port Coquitlam - 844,458.33
Powell River - 43,076.54
Prince George - 2,123,940.49
Prince Rupert - 62,819.26
Princeton - 1,082.38
Queen Charlotte - 3,348.73
Quesnel - 52,991.48
Revelstoke - 42,155.72
Richmond - 12,786.31
Rossland - 20,267.44
Saanich - 410,424.72
Salmon Arm - 14,292.43
Sicamous - 4,806.27
Smithers - 132,389.75
Squamish - 4,495.94
Stewart - 2,361.31
Surrey - 520,696.61
Terrace - 143,429.92
Vancouver - 2,883,676.05
Vernon - 90,627.10
Victoria - 3,056,317.78
View Royal - 149,939.37
Wells - 1,434.08
Williams Lake - 49,721.32
Zeballos - 3,955.24

Total: $16,927,132.32

Contact:

Melody Wey
Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government
250 508-5030