Chamber Says Property Tax Rebate Appreciated
They may have not known it was on the agenda but the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce says the $500 property tax rebate the City is offering is welcome news for the small business community.
Although the full details are still forthcoming Rob Clark CEO of the Chamber said the news comes at a good time for many of the smaller businesses it is designed to help.
“Anything offered to the businesses who were forced to close is going to help,” Clark said. “Five hundred dollars when you have no revenues is a big thing.”
The property tax rebate will target smaller businesses in the City's business license A and B categories with annual sales under $500,000. Property owners will receive the property tax credit so long as they pass it on to benefit their business tenants.
The rebate is also being set up where it can be accessed directly by businesses whose landlords are not participating in the federal business rental subsidy program.
Under the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program business property landlords must apply to take part. CECRA sees the federal government paying 50 percent, landlords contributing 25 percent and business tenants paying 25 percent of the commercial rents in April, May and June.
Many landlords, including some in Moose Jaw, have declined to participate in CECRA meaning their business tenants cannot access the program.
In the case where a landlord does not participate in CECRA and will not share the property tax rebate with their tenants but the business qualifies for City assistance then funds will go directly to the business.
Clark said there is still hope the federal government will change its program to allow businesses to apply for CECRA when their landlord declines to do so. The Chamber is supporting a lobby effort by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to change the program's rules, he said.
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Clark said many of the Chamber's 520 members, which is mostly smaller businesses in the community, could very likely benefit from the City's initiative.
“It's a very big benefit to some of them,” he said.
“I haven't heard a lot of feedback yet but it is good to see Moose Jaw is doing something…they are doing something and stepping up to the plate.”