Drumheller is joining the Mayor’s Caucus of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) to advocate on the province’s decision to not reinstate the Grants in Lieu of Tax’s (GILT) for social housing.
The Mayor’s caucus met in Edmonton earlier this month and expressed frustration in the Minister of Seniors and Housing Lori Sigurdson’s statement that they would not be restoring the program. Province wide, this amounts to $15 million not granted to municipalities. In Drumheller this amounts to about $55,000.
In a statement from AUMA, “The province’s decision is particularly disappointing given AUMA’s extensive advocacy through our news release following Budget 2015 and our numerous meetings and correspondence with the ministry over the fall and winter period. Despite this advocacy by AUMA and letters from several municipalities to the Minister, it is clear that the government does not understand the impact of this downloading of costs.”
It further states that while AUMA would continue to advocate, it urges its municipalities to take action at the local level.
Drumheller Council has drafted a letter to Minister Sigurdson in support of maintaining the Grant in Lieu of Taxes Program for Public Housing projects.
“This downloading of costs on municipalities is not appropriate. These properties receive municipal services like every other property in Drumheller, and as the key property owner, the Government of Alberta should be responsible for paying the same taxes that all other property owners pay in order for this essential infrastructure and services to be provided,” states its letter.