Representatives from several advocacy groups rallied at Kelowna City Hall on July 22, calling on council to reconsider what they say are outdated and unfair tax exemptions for religious organizations.
The protest, organized by the Kelowna Atheists, Skeptics, and Humanists Association (KASHA) along with Advocacy Canada and the BC Humanist Association, drew about two dozen people.
鈥淲e鈥檙e asking Kelowna City Council to examine the property tax exemptions for the religious organizations,鈥� said KASHA president Nina George. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e giving approval for five years. We鈥檙e asking for a one-year approval to examine them so we can create a task force.鈥�
She argues the money could be better spent on services for Kelowna residents and that some organizations benefiting from the exemptions may not align with the city鈥檚 values.
鈥淎ccording to our 2040 Official Community Plan, funding should be given equitably. So we鈥檙e obviously not giving the funding equitably when we鈥檙e giving to discriminatory organizations.鈥�
The groups claim many religious institutions in Kelowna enforce exclusionary policies or limit access to their spaces based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or beliefs.
George said she鈥檚 tried reaching out to council members, including the mayor, to speak before this fall鈥檚 vote on tax exemptions but has been ignored.
鈥淚 left messages with many of them, especially the mayor. They didn鈥檛 call back.鈥�
A statement from the city, provided to Black Press Media, said that "in accordance with the Council Procedure Bylaw, delegation requests require a council resolution to be scheduled to a meeting. Correspondence is circulated to council and requestors are encouraged to reach out to individual council members to express their concerns directly."
According to the BC Humanist Association, cities like Vancouver and Keremeos have already moved away from blanket religious exemptions. Instead, groups must apply for community grants and meet the same standards as secular nonprofits.
鈥淭he city of Terrace recently put a cap on municipal permissive tax exemptions,鈥� said Ian Bushfield, the association鈥檚 executive director. 鈥淢unicipalities are under strain across the province鈥� these taxes that aren鈥檛 paid by churches and other groups and places of worship are being paid by homeowners and local businesses.鈥�
Amber Hall, communications director for Advocacy Canada, said change is overdue.
鈥淭he population鈥檚 changing from when all of these rules were set up. And I think that merits the kind of re-examination that KASHA is calling for.鈥�
She added that many religious institutions continue to exclude members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
鈥淥ut of the 37 faith-based organizations in Kelowna, only four were identified as safe places for people of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,鈥� said Hall. 鈥淲e strongly feel that organizations that are taking government money should not be discriminatory.鈥�
The groups want council to: approve only a one-year tax exemption for 2025, pause all new five-year exemptions this fall, and create a community task force in 2026 to review and update tax policy criteria.
Hall believes many residents aren鈥檛 aware of the scope of the issue鈥攂ut that鈥檚 starting to change.
鈥淧eople are definitely getting angry,鈥� said Hall. 鈥淚 think most people aren鈥檛 strongly in favour of this, other than those who are deeply involved in their religion.鈥�
In March, questioning the city鈥檚 approval of the five-year exemptions.
A statement provided to Black Press Media from the city at the time said that, under the Community Charter, a place of worship is given a general exemption (by the province) from taxation for the church building and the land on which the building stands. It also allows council to support such organizations that enhance quality of life and deliver services to residents.
"This is not lost revenue,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淭he taxation burden is transferred to other non-exempt properties."
