Saskatoon city councillors endorse tax plan for curling, other sports clubs

Councillors on a city of Saskatoon committee have endorsed a tax break plan that would help sports clubs with their civic tax bills.

At a planning, development and community services meeting on Monday, councillors voted in favour of a tax abatement plan for sports organizations that own their own facilities.

The change could mean sports clubs would no longer have to pay property tax or library tax while the program was running.

Steve Turner, manager of the Granite Curling Club, said COVID-19 has hit all city clubs hard, and a tax break would help.

"For most of the curling clubs, property tax is now the second highest business expense behind payroll," he said.

"All four curling clubs are down in membership and revenue from where we were prior to the start of COVID."

A report said as many as eight sports clubs in the city would be eligible for the program. The city would lose an estimated $200,000 in revenue if the measure is approved.

Many curling clubs faced large property tax increases this year. In a previous interview, Turner said that one club's taxes increased by 66 per cent. 

At Granite Curling Club, the payment jumped from $3,000 per month to $4,200.

During the committee meeting, Mayor Charlie Clark said it was important to supporting sport in the city.

"There's a huge community role that these facilities play," said Clark.

"There's a huge volunteer component and they're important in keeping our residents healthy."

Administration noted that an application must by made to the province for any education tax abatement that exceeds $25,000. The city said the program is similar to other tax abatement plans for non-profits in Saskatoon.

The move comes as Saskatoon prepares to host the Olympic curling trials at SaskTel Centre in November.

If approved, the tax deferment would have to be approved as a line item in the Saskatoon city budget every year.

The decision will have to be ratified at the next city council meeting.