Historic schoolhouse dodges bullet on Saanich tax notice
The Craigflower Schoolhouse is off the hook for Saanich property taxes that would have eaten up a major chunk of its budget; instead, the province will pay the taxes. Ken Johnson, president of the Hallmark Heritage Society, said via email that the provincial government paid the taxes “after extensive discussions and through the efforts of the B.C. Heritage Branch.”
He said in future years, the Hallmark Heritage Society will be eligible for a tax exemption from the District of Saanich.
Johnson told the Times Colonist in January that he was staggered to receive a notice from the B.C. Assessment Authority saying the assessed value of the 1855 schoolhouse and its small plot of land was $138,000.
It was the first time the national historic site at 2755 Admirals Rd. faced a property-tax bill, which Johnson estimated would amount to roughly $2,800 on an annual budget generally under $15,000.
The Craigflower property is owned by the province, but for the last year, the non-profit Hallmark society has leased the schoolhouse for its office and public lectures. Prior to the lease arrangement on July 1, 2016, the land was exempt from taxation. Johnson argued that national historic sites should not be required to pay property taxes.
The society would have needed to file a formal request to Saanich for exemption by the end of July 2016, shortly after it took over the lease. Saanich offered taxation exemptions totalling $940,000 for churches in 2016 and a further $507,000 for community housing organizations, according to its 2016 annual report.
Saanich said that property-tax exemptions for non-profit organizations are controlled by the B.C. Assessment Authority and must be included in a bylaw adopted by the end of October as per provincial regulations.
The society pays for maintenance of the schoolhouse, including costly repairs that replicate the construction standard of 1855.