Mayors summoned to a meeting with province on speculation tax

KELOWNA – Mayors of cities where the speculation and vacancy tax is being collected are being called to a meeting with the provincial government on Sept. 12.

A letter from Deputy Premier Carole James to West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom extends an invitation to the meeting to him and notes that mayors of all affected municipalities are included.

Kelowna is the only other Interior city where the tax applies.

The meeting is the first of what’s expected to annual gatherings to “discuss its impact on your communities.”

The letter says the tax is not being paid by 99 per cent of British Columbians and is aimed at “foreign owners and satellite families who live in our province but don’t pay tax here.”

Former West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater led the local battle against the tax and said recently it’s still having an impact on development in that city, even though most local residents don’t pay it.

The location of the meeting was not specified but most affected cities are in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.

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