Government must amend property tax policies that leave small businesses shouldering a disproportionate portion of the tax base, according to a group of BC business associations.

The Business Tax Alliance, which includes business associations representing Downtown Victoria and 14 Lower Mainland jurisdictions, formed late last year.

It claims the provinceB次元官网网址檚 practice of assessing property values on redevelopment potential and the value of surrounding properties has created a status quo well beyond the means of small business owners in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 largest municipalities, said Alliance spokesperson Paul Sullivan.

In the Capital Regional District, commercial property tax is three times higher on average than that of industry or residential said Bev Highton, owner of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 NAI Commercial real estate brokerage.

Highton cited a heritage building in VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 downtown core valued by BC Assessment at $2.6 million in 2019. Its value climbed by 31 per cent to $3.4 million the following year, and another 27 per cent to $4.1 million in 2021.

The 2020 sale of a nearby property for a new 15-storey building was a factor in the massive hike.

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This BC AssessmentB次元官网网址檚 practice affects more than just the property owner said Jeff Bray, executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association.

B次元官网网址淲hat happens is the owner has to pass that cost on to the tenant,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat can really impact a business, especially during the pandemic when revenues are down to begin with.B次元官网网址�

He mentioned a downtown Victoria parking lot which saw its assessment rise 100 per cent in one year. B次元官网网址淭hat forces you to charge 20 bucks an hour for parking, or redevelop, whether you want to or not,B次元官网网址� Bray said.

One of two proposed Tax Alliance solutions employs a strategy used by Sullivan in court during his time as a business and commercial property owner in Vancouver. By arguing to split his propertyB次元官网网址檚 taxation class as commercial for the building itself and residential for the undeveloped airspace above it, he was able to reduce his tax bill by 75 per cent, he said.

B次元官网网址淚t only works in certain zones, but it provided the blueprint for that approach. We won it in court. Surely we can win it in policy,B次元官网网址� he said.

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The other solution may appear more radical, but Sullivan, Highton and Bray say it is more feasible: giving business licensees a single election vote in municipalities theyB次元官网网址檙e registered.

Highton, a Victoria real estate agent of 54 years, said commercial tenants know B次元官网网址渇ully wellB次元官网网址� the effect of property tax on their expenses including rent. As such, small business owners are very interested in the financial aspects of city governance, Highton said.

In Vancouver, commercial buildings account for 45 per cent of property taxes paid, despite making up only seven per cent of the cityB次元官网网址檚 properties. VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 commercial properties accounted for the same percentage of the cityB次元官网网址檚 property tax collection; $67 million of $147 million collected.

B次元官网网址淗uge contributors should at least have a vote,B次元官网网址� Highton said.

The move would add about 523,000 municipal voters to the three million across B.C., Sullivan noted. Several municipalities already allow qualifying non-resident property owners to cast ballots.

Although it could take as long as two years, Bray said amending the BC Assessment Act to allow for the first solution is B次元官网网址渧ery doable.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f a city needs to collect $100, itB次元官网网址檚 going to collect $100 B次元官网网址� the issue is who makes up that $100?B次元官网网址� he asked. B次元官网网址淎ll those small mom and pops. A lot of them just canB次元官网网址檛 afford it.B次元官网网址�

Do you have a story tip? Email: kiernan.green@blackpress.ca.

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