YORKTON - At its regular meeting Monday Yorkton Council approved a slate of tax exemptions for 2024.
Raelyn Knudson - Assessment & Taxation Manager, with the city explained Council may provide relief from municipal property taxes and/or other taxing in accordance with The Cities Act and applicable provincial legislation and regulations that govern education property taxes.
In addition the Act permits a Council to cancel, reduce or refund all or part of a tax, or defer the collection of a tax in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and permits a Council to exempt any property from taxation in whole or part with respect to a financial year.
Further the Act permits a Council to enter into an agreement with the owner or occupant of any property for the purpose of exempting that property from taxation, in whole or in part, for not more than five years. A council may, in that agreement, impose any terms and conditions that it may specify.
All exemptions or abatements are to be approved in the form of a bylaw.
Exemptions in 2024 include:
* The Sask Abilities Council located at 162 Ball Road and the SIGN building located at 83 North Street are abated by the schools as recognition of the impact on the community.
* An agreement with Harvest Meats phases in any taxation increase resulting from expansion/additions to the property. The current phase-in covers the last year of the expansion completed in 2020 (25 per cent of the increased value to property) and the first year of the expansion completed in 2024 (100 per cent of the increased value of the property).
* Yorkton Brick Mill has a five year agreement with the City for a full exemption.
* 81 and 85 Rae Avenue are group homes that do not qualify for exempt status under The Residential Service Act due to the lack of 24 hour staffing. The property is, however, adjacent to another group home owned and operated by Yail Harbor at 89 Rae Avenue, that is staffed 24 hours. Given that these two properties are very similar to those that enjoy group home status, (and are exempt from taxation), Council has chosen to abate the taxes on these properties.
* 158 Darlington St. E is a Habitat for Humanity home that has been approved for a 5 year graduated abatement. This is the second year of abatement for 80 per cent of the taxable value.
* The area at 139 Dominion Avenue operating as ‘Bruno’s Place” which is Yorkton’s only emergency shelter, has been abated.
In addition those approved under the BIIP or RCI programs:
* The new construction incentive is a graduated exemption over five years. The abatements are limited to the first $500,000 of increased assessment.
* The vacant building incentive is a graduated exemption over three years.
* The residential construction incentive program was available in 2022. The only properties that qualified for this program are 72 and 74 Duncan St E. The incentive is a 100 per cent annual abatement for five years.
* Three other properties have been approved for abatement under the BIIP and RCI programs. They do not appear in the bylaw at this time because the work has not been completed. After completion of the builds the properties will be reassessed and the abatement can begin on the full value.
Abatements are accounted for every year and form part of the operating budget. The detailed totals contained in the three bylaws are within the budget for 2024, added Knudson.
