PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 10 NO. 13
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
FREE
New housing development pitched on Park
INSIDE THE LINES Feature
Thirty new housing units and road to Graham proposed
Heart of our city: Ken Shaw Page A5
BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
Plans for the recently-cleared land at the end of Park Avenue became apparent during the March 23 Prince Rupert city council meeting with a new block of housing slated for the area. The Bryton Group outlined its plans for 30 - Zeno Krekic single family lots in what it is calling the Oceanview Development Property, with 15 directly overlooking the BC Ferries terminal and the harbour. As well as the housing, the developers have included plans to extend Graham Avenue to connect with Highway 16 just before the terminal. See DEVELOPMENT on Page A2
“The location of this development has both opportunities and challenges.”
Business PAC 10 wins Business Challenge Page A8 Kevin Campbell / The Northern View
Cassandra Parnell shows her artistic side during the Celebrating Literacy fair at the Rupert Square Mall on Saturday afternoon.
Mayor: Port tax cap “killing” small business Council planning campaign aimed at provincial government
Sports Figure skaters host year-end gala Page A13
Community New Book of Rainbows launched Page A22
“We really need to get a campaign going.”
BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View
As the City of Prince Rupert continues to look at raising taxes to offset a $220,000 budget shortfall, councillors are putting much of the blame on the provincially legislated tax cap placed on industry developed on port land. The legislation means new industry on port lands can not be taxed at a rate no higher than $22.50 per $1,000 of assessed value while industry existing prior to 2005 can only be taxed at a rate of $27.50. By comparison, the city’s rate for major industry is $47.74 per $1,000 and even the business rate is higher at $27.85 per $1,000. “It’s not sustainable and what it is doing is killing our small business sector,” said Mayor Lee Brain. “The small businesses up and down Third
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2160 Seal Cove Circle $225,000
- Joy Thorkelson Avenue are paying a higher tax rate than major industry on port land,” added a frustrated Coun. Barry Cunningham. Given that the tax cap is legislated by the provincial government, council said there is a letter being drafted that will soon be made publicly available for people to sign and send to the government seeking a change to the regulation. “It becomes a taxpayer subsidy in many ways. They’re not paying what they would be paying if not located on port land ... Any money the
government does provide to offset it doesn’t add up to what the mill rate would be and the money from government is being paid by residents through provincial taxes anyway,” said Coun. Joy Thorkelson. “We really need to get a campaign going.” Brain said he has been in discussion with the provincial government and has offered some solutions to take some of the tax burden off of businesses and home owners. “One proposal is they can have the cap in place for seven years but after seven years, once the business is up and going and established, the industry can be put under the regular mill rate,” he said, noting a tax increase is needed to cover costs for the coming year. “Operationally, for us to continue as we are, we need another $220,000 ... what is in front of us with this budget is as cut and thin as it can be.”
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