Port Coquitlam considering stripping non-profit’s tax exemption for failing to meet commitments

A non-profit still reeling from scandal earlier this year may lose its property tax exemption for its new Port Coquitlam supporting housing project for 2024.

Contrary to staff’s recommendation during an Oct. 3 council meeting, Mayor Brad West said he was “uncomfortable” subsidizing the Atira Women’s Resource Society’s building on the 2100-block of Prairie Avenue due to its failure to fulfill a number of promises.

Commitments made during the 2018 rezoning process included prioritizing Port Coquitlam residents and ensuring the supportive housing project was run well and safely, according to West.

“There have been a number of concerns expressed to council by residents of the development, The Alex, that the operator is not meeting those obligations,” West said. “Rather than just providing a carte blanche and say go ahead, I think it’s incumbent on us to have those concerns addressed.”

The mayor’s motion to withhold the nearly $35,000 exemption until these issues are addressed was supported unanimously, and staff have been sent to discuss their position with Atira’s leadership. Council is set to decide on West’s recommendation on Oct. 10.

Most of council confirmed Atira’s operation had been the subject of many complaints.  

Construction of The Alex finished earlier this year, providing 72 social housing units and 11 townhomes for women and families escaping domestic violence and abuse.

A daycare and a Fraser Health-run community health centre are also planned for the site but the latter component is still waiting on funding from the province, according to staff.

West added the question of the health centre was “academic” at this point, as the province has not given any indication they intend on proceeding with funding.

He said the lack of provincial funding supports his motion to pause the tax subsidies.

“There was a commitment that was part of the attraction of the entire development, that the province was going to fund that, and our residents would have access,” West said. “That hasn’t come to fruition, and doesn’t appear to be coming to fruition any time soon.”

Atira Women’s Resource Society – the largest housing operation in B.C. – was rocked by controversy last May following a provincial audit which found conflict of interest violations between the organization and BC Housing.

Its CEO, Janice Abbot, resigned shortly after, and the organization returned nearly $2 million in surplus funds to the province.

Coun. Glenn Pollock, who chairs the city’s housing committee, said he thinks there is currently a “void” in Atira’s leadership, as the temporary executive director is focused on internal audits and “getting the books in order.”

He noted he’s been trying to contact Atira’s team regarding the health centre as he has upcoming meetings with the Ministry of Health.

“There’s not a whole lot of social programming going on outside of that. It’s trying to get the ship in order,” Pollock said. 

Couns. Nancy McCurrach and Paige Petriw both said they were disappointed with Atira’s handling of the building.

McCurrach said she had met some of the women and children living at the building, all of whom were in need of support, but added some programming has failed be provided and Tri-Cities residents were supposed to have priority.

She asked if the loss of tax exemption would have to be for the whole year.

Staff said municipalities are mandated by provincial legislation to have their list of property tax exempt properties submitted by Oct. 31.

West noted it was still possible for Atira to fix some issues to the city’s satisfaction before that date.

“The ball will be in their court,” West said. “If they don’t move it quickly enough or aren’t attentive to this, then I think the likely outcome is that they would be looking at the following year for property tax exemption.”