The City of Campbell River says it’s “committed to working with the Campbell River Art Gallery” after it pulled the gallery’s tax exemption due to what it calls poor neighbourly behaviour.
At a council meeting on Sept. 28, council approved a motion to remove the art gallery’s tax exemption because homeless people tend to gather and sleep outside of it overnight, which one councillor described as having “an extremely detrimental effect to our downtown businesses and visitations in our downtown area.”
CHEK News previously reported that the city walked back that decision at a council meeting on Oct. 12.
That was incorrect, however. Instead, the city said it was “committed to working with the organization on a productive solution and path forward, which could see the 2024 property taxes funded through Council Contingency.”
No decision was made at the time to restore the gallery’s tax exemption, which is valued at appromxietly $10,000.
CHEK News regrets this error.
“Council acknowledged the residents and community groups in attendance and those that reached out, and thanked them for sharing their feedback and for allowing council to listen and determine a productive solution,” said the city in a release on Oct. 12.
READ PREVIOUS STORY: Council motion labels Campbell River Art Gallery ‘bad neighbour’
Adam Chan
