Timberlane Barracks seeks tax relief from City of Powell River

Timberlane Barracks sponsor committee has requested relief on property taxes owed at the facilities used by the region’s three cadet organizations.

At the June 22 City of Powell River Council meeting, Chris Carnall, vice-president of the sponsor committee, appeared before councillors, outlining taxes that will have to be paid because all organizations applying for permissions tax exemptions this year will have to pay a portion of the assessed taxes.

He said the organization is a nonprofit group that looks after buildings they do not own, but are leased from the city.

“In these buildings, we provide a positive, safe place for the youth who join the cadet movement to learn skills that will carry them on to adulthood,” said Carnall. “The program promotes values, ethics, development of leadership, citizenship, fitness and instills confidence, leaving a positive, lifelong impact on these young people.”

Carnall said the cadet program has been hosted since 1965 in the Timberlane barracks. He said the cadet program is sponsored by the department of national defence, which pays for the administration to support the program. Finding a place to run the program is up to the community, added Carnall.

“The rent to the city and the cost of hydro, heating and internet, operation and maintenance is then split between the three corps,” said Carnall. “The city has no funding budgeted for the maintenance of the facilities, and since we’ve been there, we’ve accepted that and have taken on the responsibilities to look after the buildings that we use. All funds that we use to maintain those buildings are funds from soliciting other organizations for contributions. Any major maintenance, we apply for grants.”

Carnall said the sponsor committee has replaced furnaces, and they’ve upgraded the LED lighting, done roof replacement, installing gravel sidewalks and doing plumbing repairs. He said in past years, grants from Powell River Community Forest, BC Hydro, the Rotary Club of Powell River, the local 100-plus Women Who Care chapter, and Powell River and Texada Island branches of Royal Canadian Legion have all helped pay costs. Other funds come from fundraising by cadets and parents.

Carnall said adding the stress of having to pay land taxes on buildings that the cadet organizations rent is not improving the well-being of the future leaders being developed through the cadet organizations.

“To pay the land taxes you are asking us to pay – we were granted 86 per cent exempt free – the $1,200 you want in taxes will take money that would look after the cadets; we didn’t budget for that,” said Carnall. “By reconsidering and ensuring Timberlane Barracks Society is 100 per cent exempt of land taxes will ensure the funds that are raised will go to the benefit of the cadets, and the improvements that will be needed to keep that place safe.”

City councillor Jim Palm said cadets are some of the finest young people, they are role models and leaders.

“I assure you there will be future discussions and we will revisit this blanket clause, and hopefully we can come to a resolution that puts a smile on your face,” said Palm.

Referred to staff

Councillor Rob Southcott said there have been several meetings where councillors considered permission tax exemptions. He said the city provides one of the largest proportions of permissive tax exemptions in the entire province for a community of its size.

“The decision was to cap those exemptions at $400,000, which is still a very generous amount of money,” said Southcott. “During the time we looked at permissive tax exemptions in the last term, our last chief financial officer did quite a bit of research on measuring needs and means of organizations applying. I’m quite convinced there is a real range.

“I know there are organizations receiving tax exemptions that have greater means than the cadets. I would like to refer this back to staff.”

Southcott made a motion to refer to staff to have another look at the work done before to put into effect policy that has greater advantage to organizations that need greater advantage.

Councillor George Doubt said he was in favour of the motion. He said he was a sea cadet and learned a lot.

“I admire the program and I admire the young people who are participating, as well as the adults who are making it possible,” said Doubt.

Councillor Cindy Elliott said there are organizations applying for permissive tax exemptions that are supported by the provincial government.

“The provincial government funds those organizations to cover their taxes,” said Elliott. “It’s not something we should be doing. We should not be covering permissive tax exemptions on buildings that are delivering provincial services through contract. I would like to see a staff report.”

Council voted in favour of a staff report.