Queen Charlotte Village Council is raising residential and business tax rates back to pre-COVID levels for 2022.
The residential municipal tax rate was approved at 2.48 per cent and the business rate was approved at 6.08 per cent during a general meeting on May 2.
The increase in residential tax rate will be compounded by a 27 per cent increase in B.C. property tax assessments for the village.
A house appraised at $350,000 in 2022, was on average appraised at $255,500 in 2021, explained village staff during a Public Meeting on April 4. This, when combined with the tax rate which increased from 1.72 in 2021 to 2.48 in 2022, means a homeowner would see an increase of $428.54 in municipal taxes.
Council decreased municipal taxes collected in 2020 in response to the pandemic and froze municipal taxes collected in 2021. During the April 4 meeting, village staff said that these decisions were made “with the understanding that a jump in municipal tax collected would be required to catch up.”
The Village of Queen Charlotte also passed a motion to approve the proposed five-year financial plan during their general council meeting on May 2.
The Small Community Grant, funding provided by the province to municipalities with fewer than 5,000 people, and property taxes cover services such as general government, community safety, libraries, road maintenance, cemetery maintenance, fire and emergency services, recreation programs and park services.
During the Public Meeting on April 4, staff said one of the focuses of the 2022 budget was reducing the draw from surplus in order to balance the budget.
This is apart from $20,000, which will be drawn from the general surplus to cover costs related to the municipal election this year.
READ MORE: Prince Rupert tax increase passed by Council
Kaitlyn Bailey | Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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