Hotel Tax To Remain Hotel Tax

PRINCE GEORGE – It was a report brought forward by Mayor Lyn Hall, asking Council’s position on whether it would like to move forward with using the Municipal and Regional District Tax, otherwise known as the Hotel Tax, for affordable housing. That avenue was opened to municipalities by the Province earlier this year.

But Mayor and Council felt the motivation for that was driven by the hotel industry in places like Whistler.

The local Hotel Tax was agreed to by hoteliers to tack an additional three percent on the hotel bill to be used by Tourism Prince George to promote opportunities in the city. That equates roughly $1 million a year.

“Hoteliers didn’t sign on for this,” stated Councillor Garth Frizzell, who said he was “emphatically” in favour of a motion put forward by Councillor Frank Everitt to keep the Hotel Tax for its intended purpose. But it was also Everitt who suggested it “may be a quandary” if Council takes this position and, subsequently, goes to the Province for funding for affordable housing.