Calgary bingo halls receive $189K property tax exemption
CBC News | Posted: March 15, 2017 12:06 AM | Last Updated: March 15, 2017
3 remaining halls raise money for more than 100 non-profits and charities, councillor says
Calgary's three remaining bingo halls are getting a tax break for the second year in a row.
Council voted Tuesday to give the bingo halls an exemption from paying property taxes, a move the city says is worth about $189,000 this year.
"By us imposing a tax that they shouldn't even be taxed on, it's creating a bit of a challenge for them to be able to provide funding for community associations and other not-for-profit organizations," said Coun. Andre Chabot.
Chabot says he expects provincial legislation will soon make the tax exemption permanent.
"We expect the regulations will be coming to us within a month, which means that [from] 2018 on, we won't have to do this because they will automatically be exempt," he said.
Chabot says bingo halls raise money for more than 100 non-profits and charities in Calgary.
To qualify for the exemption, the halls have to confirm in writing that they won't profit from the tax breaks.