breadcrumb trail link
columnist
Published on May 22, 2024 • 3 minutes to read
To save this article, sign up for free here. Or, if you have an account, sign in.
Edmonton City Council, Wednesday, February 21, 2024. Photo by David Bloom /Postmedia
Article content
Many Edmontonians would be shocked to learn that property taxes subsidized 656 religious institutions to the tune of $20.3 million last year, but that was confirmed in a Nov. 27, 2023 memo to city council regarding the cost of property tax exemptions in the city. It is past time to discuss these exemptions.
Cities are required by law to grant these exemptions. As a result, other taxpayers, such as homeowners and small businesses, have to foot the bill for the municipal infrastructure and services that the exempt properties benefit from. Even if you're an atheist, you're still stuck with the church bill.
Ad 2
This ad has not yet loaded, but article continues below.
This content is only available to subscribers
Subscribe today to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles from David Staples, Keith Gerein and more, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to the Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. The Edmonton Journal E-Paper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can view, share and comment on on any device. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times crossword. Support local journalism.
Subscribe to unlock more articles
Subscribe today to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive coverage from David Staples, Keith Gerein and more, Cult of Hockey's Oilers news, Ask EJ Anything feature, Noon News Roundup, Under the Dome newsletter. Get unlimited online access to the Edmonton Journal and 15 other news sites with one account. The Edmonton Journal ePaper is an electronic version of the print version that you can view, share, and comment on on any device. Daily puzzles including New York Times crosswords. Support local journalism.
Sign up/sign in to unlock more articles
Please create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your opinions and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles every month. Receive email updates from your favourite authors.
Sign in or create an account
or
Article content
Article content
Eliminating the religious property tax exemption could lower property taxes by about 1 percent. Alternatively, the city could use the additional revenue to create a $100 million investment fund in just five years. Annual dividends from these funds can support important city initiatives. This is a big amount.
As the housing and climate emergencies intersect, an important question is whether we are making the most of all available land. Edmonton's religious properties are valued at nearly $1 billion, and the current tax exemption is a perverse incentive to prevent property development.
Some of these churches could become tax-exempt affordable housing. More Edmontonians should be inspired by the story of Westmount Presbyterian Church, which consolidated its property into a small church and 16 net-zero affordable townhomes. Similarly, other facilities can consolidate revenue from development and use it to pay for the shelter's operating costs.
Many churches are in prime locations and have large parking lots, but are inactive most of the week. In a city that is expected to grow by 100,000 people over the next two years, underutilized religious sites represent a missed opportunity to build new housing.
Headline News
Thank you for signing up!
Article content
Ad 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but article continues below.
Article content
We also need to ask whether these faith groups provide broader public services to their communities. If the city had spent her $20 million on other budget items, it would be natural to wonder whether taxpayers were getting a bang for their buck.
But we know that some of these services may not be accessible or welcome for all residents, and in some cases may not be welcome. Remember COVID-19 or the anti-SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) protests? Our government has a constitutional obligation to be religiously neutral and should not subsidize organizations that preach intolerance and bigotry.
Religious organizations already compete in the marketplace of ideas for (tax-deductible) donations. Should the city also be responsible for subsidizing their operations?
Reevaluating how religious property is taxed is not unprecedented. Montreal changed its policy in 2015 to tax religious spaces not used for worship. Vacant buildings and government property are taxed. In 2022, the City of Iqaluit passed an ordinance eliminating the religious property tax exemption. By 2018, the City of Edmonton had begun taxing surplus land held by religious organizations that is not directly used for “the service of God, public worship, or religious education.”
Advertisement 4
This ad has not yet loaded, but article continues below.
Article content
After Pope Francis visited Edmonton last year, there was a public outcry about the costs that excessive policing is bearing on the public, despite the Catholic Church's enormous wealth (much of it accumulated through colonialism, which necessitated an apology tour). The Catholic Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are some of the richest landowners in the world. This makes about as much sense as giving Apple and Amazon a tax exemption.
The most valuable asset a city has is its land, and even if this change were to be phased in over the next five years, millions of dollars could be raised to offset tax rate expansions or to reinvest in universal public services available to everyone, regardless of faith.
Ian Bushfield is a former Edmonton resident and executive director of the BC Humanist Association, which has been studying the issue of religious property tax exemptions across Canada for several years.
Article content
Share this article on social networks
