North Battleford city council held its meeting online this week. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Mental health support

CMHA hoping for tax exemption for new project at Kramer Place

Apr 18, 2021 | 9:04 AM

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Battlefords branch is asking the City of North Battleford to provide municipal tax exemption for the CMHA’S new project on Kramer Place in the northeast part of the city.

The aim of the project, known as Independence Commons, is to provide individuals who faced mental health or addiction challenges help to become more independent. The complex will house an eight-unit supported-living residence, and a facility for programming called the Living Well Learning Centre that will also be open to the community. The project is close to being ready to open.

Executive Director Jane Zielke de Montbrun said during this week’s council meeting the CMHA was expecting to receive the exemption based on discussions with the city during the planning process.

“At the time of our funding application, the City of North Battleford indicated our housing project would be tax exempt based on the Cities Act of Saskatchewan,” she said in her report. “Acting on this information, our proposal to Saskatchewan Housing Corp (SHC) included this saving, and was an important piece of the project’s sustainability and SHC’s subsequent approval of the project.”

However, Zielke de Montbrun said the section in The Cities Act pertaining to exemptions from taxation is vague in its wording and the interpretation is in dispute. She wanted to clarify the issue with council.

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According to the Cities Act, exemptions from taxation are granted “so long as the buildings and lands are actually used and occupied by one of the following institutions, the buildings and land attached owned by a division, branch or local unit of: the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command; the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada; the Disabled Veterans Association of Saskatchewan; and the Canadian Mental Health Association (Saskatchewan Division).”

City Manager Randy Patrick said he will look into the issue.

“The more affordable it is for the organization the better,” he said. “It’s a needed program. That is recognition of why the city has contributed so much to the program. We can provide information of what our understanding is on the legal end on it, and talk to other communities dealing with this issue.”

The CMHA requested a five-year tax municipal tax exemption.

Coun. Greg Lightfoot suggested a three-year exemption for the time being with the option to extend it then, while the matter is being resolved.

After discussing the issue further, council asked administration to bring a proposal for a limited exemption for the current time for council’s next meeting.

“We are all in reasonable agreement on what we are interested in, at least doing something in the short term to assist,” Mayor David Gillan said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW