Dear Editor,
In 2015, the Government of Alberta unexpectedly eliminated the Grants in Place of Taxes funding for seniors’ apartments and social housing units operated by public housing management bodies.
This means the government has downloaded to municipalities over $15 million in costs to support over 25,000 social housing units. The Town of Okotoks’ share of these costs is $29,700.
Our municipality had been receiving this funding since 1980, as it was to cover the transportation and social wellness services provided to the 28 social housing units in our community.
Our Council believes that the Government of Alberta should continue to be responsible for paying these costs, similar to how all other property owners must pay for their share of municipal infrastructure and services.
If the government does not pay for these costs, we will either need to allocate this amount to you as the other property owners, which would mean an increase in property taxes, or we will need to reduce services in other areas. Neither option is fair to you as our residents.
Therefore, we urge you to contact the Minister of Seniors and Housing, Honourable Lori Sigurdson at [email protected], as well as Mr. Wayne Anderson, MLA for Highwood, at [email protected], and urge them to reinstate the Grant in Place of Taxes funding so that the costs of $29,700 are not downloaded onto our community and our property tax payers.
Mayor Bill Robertson
Town of Okotoks
