City Council met Tuesday to make a decision on property tax exemptions for non-profit organizations in Lloydminster.
Among the local non-profit organizations being exempt are the Interval Home Society, the Olive Tree Community Centre and the Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre. The exemptions would cover the next three years. Mayor Gerald Aalbers says that this will be easier for non-profits and the city while still providing oversight.
“There exemption will be reviewed annually by the city, but from a paperwork perspective it lessens the paperwork for both the non-profit organization, as well as the administration because that paperwork that comes in that they filled out has to be completely reviewed by city administration.”
Some non-profit organizations did not receive property tax exemptions status including the Thorpe Recovery Centre’s Harris House in Lloydminster. Mayor Aalbers explains that it did not meet the requirements set forward in the city charter.
“There are some requirements from the city’s perspective that the property cannot be sitting vacant basically it needs to be occupied I believe 65 per cent of the time and if it’s being used it’s being used by that charity.”
The Lloydminster and District SPCA also did not receive a tax exemption, as they lease their property from the city. A non-profit must own the land for it to be property tax exempt.
Story by Ezzah Bashir