City residents have reached a tipping point in fees Prince George city council decided Wednesday night, dismissing a staff recommendation to implement a new service charge on secondary suites.
A proposed bylaw would have created an $800 charge with the intention of recovering costs for added "burdens and costs on the city in relation to infrastructure and services" on properties with secondary suites, said planning director Ian Wells.
A discounted $245 fee would be levied if the suite was legal, meaning it met B.C. Building Code standards, fit with the area's zoning regulations and had a business licence.
Though they discussed the issue for more than 30 minutes, council did not entertain the proposal with a vote, letting the issue die on the floor.
One of the areas council took issue with was the idea that they would be collecting money for something deemed illegal.
"How do you charge a fee for something that's illegal? Are we not complicit in condoning the [illegality] of a suite if we charge a fee for it to be so?" questioned mayor Shari Green.
Coun. Lyn Hall said he had a difficult time wrapping his head around the concept of an illegal suite generating revenue for the city.
"So anything else that's illegal in our community, can we tap them?" asked Hall. "I don't mean to be tongue-in-cheek and facetious about this, but that's how difficult a time I'm having going after somebody that's doing something illegal and tapping them for 800 bucks."
Legislative services director Walter Babicz said the bylaw and the associated fees wouldn't be turning a blind eye to anything.
"The fee is intended to represent the added burden that the suite presents to the city infrastructure. By imposing a bylaw that imposes such fees, the city's not condoning the illegal use of suites in any way and the bylaw sets that out," he said.
The concept of adding another fee on top of recently approved charges, such as the $155 business licence fee for rental properties, also appeared to be problematic.
Coun. Frank Everitt said while he understood the concept was born out of the core services review process, residents "have said 'you've cored my wallet right out, so leave us alone.' I get that message."
While many agreed the recommendation was coming for the right reasons - finding ways to cover the costs of city services and to help ensure people are living in safe homes - it would come at a cost that would ultimately be shouldered by the tenants.
Coun. Murry Krause said he was concerned about the unintended consequences, such as the impact to affordable housing - a concern shared by Coun. Garth Frizzell, who was among the delegation of Federation of Canadian Municipalities' representatives in Ottawa recently to lobby the federal government about that same issue.
"This city touts itself to many as being affordable. What we're trying to do is retain population, attract new population," said Coun. Dave Wilbur. "The reality is many of these illegal suits are occupied by seniors, by students and those just starting out."
Such a charge would also discourage landlords from buying property or investing in the city, said Coun. Albert Koehler.
Coun. Brian Skakun called the proposed fee a cash grab. "We don't have the info that says that we have to do this. I think by doing this and raising these fees, you're going to have the negative effect to the safety issue and it's just going to drive it underground even further."
Multiple municipalities throughout the province have a similar bylaw and related charges for legal and illegal secondary suites, including Surrey, White Rock, Pitt Meadows, West Kelowna, Smithers, Colwood and Nelson.
