Kelowna residents will be required to take on the burden of ~$1,000,000 in lost taxes per year.
According to the 2021 census data 54% of Kelowna residents are non-religious.
Why should Kelowna commercial and residential property owners be subsidizing religious organizations that are rich, involved in political causes in Canada, and funding projects in foreign countries?
Some of these religious organizations are very rich and flush with cash.
Some of these Kelowna religious organizations fund what are essentially political causes in Canada and actively work against Human Rights – LGBTQ+ community, reproductive freedoms, dying with dignity.
Some of these Kelowna religious organizations fund religion-focused projects in foreign countries.
1. Kelowna’s property tax exemption policy should align with the equity values stated in Kelowna’s 2040 Official Plan.
2. Kelowna taxpayers should not have to subsidize discriminatory organizations.
3. Savings on property tax exemptions should not be leveraged to support proselytizing outside of Kelowna.
4. An analysis of the redundancy of subsidizing properties that offer similar services should be considered in the approval process.
Taxing religious properties is not an attack on faith, but a call for equitable participation in addressing societal challenges.
By generating public revenue, reallocating underutilized resources, and embracing inclusivity as stated in Kelowna’s 2040 Official Plan, religious organizations can play a pivotal role in shaping vibrant, just, and sustainable communities. Such a shift not only strengthens public services but also ensures that spiritual institutions remain relevant and aligned with modern human rights principles.
Faith-Based Discrimination and Tax Exemptions in Kelowna
Many faith-based organizations continue to uphold policies that exclude, marginalize, or discriminate against 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals—yet they receive generous tax exemptions funded by all taxpayers, including those they refuse to serve equally. Research by Advocacy Canada found that out of 37 faith-based organizations in the Okanagan, only 4 were identified as safe and affirming for the queer community.
The City of Kelowna’s permissive tax exemption (PTE) policy currently grants automatic multi-year tax breaks to religious institutions without requiring them to demonstrate inclusive and equitable practices. This means public dollars subsidize institutions that may actively contribute to systemic discrimination.
It’s time to rethink how Kelowna applies PTEs to ensure that tax-funded benefits align with the city’s stated commitments to equity, inclusion, and human rights. No organization that discriminates should be entitled to public subsidies.
Place of Worship Exemptions vs Municipal Exemptions (click on tab)
In Kelowna, religiously owned tax exempt property is valued at approx. $272,881,200. There are two tax exemptions that can apply to religious property.
Kelowna city council has consistently given permissive tax exemptions (Permissive Tax Bylaw 327) to the land and buildings surrounding the worship building without scrutiny except if there is a daycare or a residential house on the property, those structures do not receive a property tax exemption; taxes are paid on those portions.
BC Assessment’s mandate is to find the actual value/market value of each property in BC. For example, the Trinity Baptist Church on Springfield in the 2024 Roll Year Assessment that property was just valued over $33,000,000. It comprises of ~ 6.4 acres of land that would be considered quite valuable given its location and features. There are also considerable improvements on that property. The Trinity Baptist Church is statutorily exempt for the place of public worship and the land under the building. It is also receiving a FULL permissive exemption for the remainder of the land under the City of Kelowna’s Permissive Exemption Bylaw. Therefore, the Trinity Baptist Church is receiving the 1. full statutory tax exemption and 2. City of Kelowna full permissive tax exemption for land and buildings. They get a property tax holiday of $140,415 every year.
City of Kelowna does not need to give full property tax exemptions to the land surrounding the worship building. It is a historical privilege which has not been questioned. We are now questioning the value of these permissive tax exemptions.
What does taxing religious properties accomplish? (click HERE)
The city of Kelowna is grappling with budget constraints that limit their ability to provide essential services. Taxing religious properties could generate millions in revenue. This additional funding could:
Many Kelowna religious organizations own valuable real estate, some of which include underutilized buildings and land. A tax policy could incentivize these groups to evaluate their property and consider creative solutions:
Tax policies should also encourage religious organizations to adopt more inclusive practices as stated in Kelowna’s 2040 Official Plan. For instance, institutions that adhere to discriminatory beliefs, such as opposing LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedoms, and dying for dignity face greater public scrutiny if they are seen as benefiting from public subsidies without contributing equitably to society.
By linking tax exemptions to adherence to human rights policies, governments can:
Critics may argue that taxing religious properties infringes on religious freedom. However, this policy does not target worship itself, but seeks fairness in property taxation. Taxing these properties can lead to:
Taxing religiously owned properties is not an attack on faith but a call for equitable participation in addressing societal challenges. By reallocating underutilized resources and embracing inclusivity, religious organizations can play a pivotal role in shaping vibrant, just, and sustainable communities. Such a shift not only strengthens public services but also ensures that spiritual institutions remain relevant and aligned with modern human rights principles.
Map Data – The data used for the map came from 2024 data from City of Kelowna tax assessments and CRA revenue. We based our mapping on religious organizations which owned property and had applied in 2020 for a 5 year exemption. There have been changes to this list since then that has not been recorded here.
Help KASHA Take a Stand for Fairness and Inclusivity in Kelowna
Contribute now to support this vital effort.
Together, we can create change that resonates far beyond Kelowna.
1. Homeowners Face Increasing Financial Pressures and Scrutiny
Governments have imposed significant financial pressures on homeowners through various measures:
2. Permissive Tax Exemptions (PTEs) and Community Benefits:
PTEs provide significant tax breaks to community groups intended to benefit Kelowna residents. However, the allocation process has not adapted since 2006, despite demographic shifts:
3. Public Worship Exemptions have NO Scrutiny. We Ask for Fair Review:
We are demanding that there should be new rules and better scrutiny for PTE assessment in the Public Worship category. We urge Kelowna city council to distinguish between private exclusive, discriminatory organizations vs community-oriented organizations in determining eligibility for these valuable tax breaks and loss of revenue. When properties are exempt from taxes, the burden of those lost taxes are placed on homeowners, renters, and businesses.
4. Proposal for Improved Application Process:
We are proposing that City Council establish a new process for scrutinizing religiously owned property tax exemptions. We are asking that city council pause the 5 year exemptions until a new process is established.
This application should include:
A new application and scrutiny will ensure taxpayer funds support organizations that contribute equitably to Kelowna’s community.
If you are interested in helping out in any way, or if you have information on a particular Kelowna religious organization. – email us: infopte @ askuskelowna.ca
Read our report HERE, you can copy and paste what you like. Please write this ASAP!
City Councilors and Mayor contact info:
Ron Cannan: rcannan@kelowna.ca, 250-864-9537
Charlie Hodge: chodge@kelowna.ca, 250-979-7254
Gord Lovegrove: glovegrove@kelowna.ca, 250-863-0431
Luke Stack: lstack@kelowna.ca, 250-878-4990
Maxine DeHart: mdehart@kelowna.ca, 250-862-7662
Mohini Singh: msingh@kelowna.ca, 250-575-1453
Rick Webber: rwebber@kelowna.ca, 250-317-9817
Loyal Wooldridge: lwooldridge@kelowna.ca, 250-863-0149
Mayor Tom Dyas: mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca, 250-469-8980
Subject Line: Modernize City of Kelowna’s Permissive Tax Exemptions Policy for Religiously Owned Properties
I urge you to review Kelowna’s permissive tax exemptions (PTEs) for religiously owned properties, which result in over $1 million in lost annual revenue to the city, hospitals and schools. In a city where 54% of residents identify as non-religious, this policy disproportionately subsidizes private organizations, some of which promote exclusionary practices, and allows these organization to donate thousands of dollars for their political causes outside of Kelowna.
Reforming these exemptions would uphold inclusivity, equity, and fiscal responsibility. I call on the council to prioritize public interest by revisiting and modernizing PTE policies to better reflect the diverse values of Kelowna’s community and to make sure that these exemptions benefit me as a Kelowna resident.
Sincerely,
[Your Name/Organization]
Contribute or join us now to support this vital effort.
Together, we can create change that resonates far beyond Kelowna.
With more funds we can reach a wider audience and create a larger secular community.
Fair Taxes – Fair Future Report to Kelowna City Council
Permissive Tax Bylaw 327, 2024 Property_tax_class_rates , PTE list2023, PTE place of Worship Application Form , PTE Re-Examination of 2006
Property Tax Calculator Kelowna Public Worship Property Assessments and Tax Exemptions Totals
Go to Advocacy Canada’s list of safe places of worship and those that are not inclusive. Click HERE
Analysis of BC’s Property Tax Exemption for Public Worship
Churches donating to Pregnancy Centres
To search City of Kelowna Tax Assessments go HERE To obtain Charity Financial Data go HERE, or go to CRA’s site HERE
Click on the blue links below for more details on each organization. Please let us know if there are any mistakes.
