Two Kelowna organizations are challenging property tax exemptions for religious groups, arguing they should prove their public benefit instead of being “taxpayer-subsidized private clubs.”
In an emailed statement, the Kelowna Atheists, Skeptics, Humanists Association (KASHA) and Advocacy Canada question the approval of the five-year exemptions. The city is not required to exempt entire properties surrounding worship buildings, yet this historical privilege remains largely unchallenged, the statement reads.
The groups note that under Kelowna’s Permissive Tax Exemption Policy 327, religious groups can avoid paying property taxes on multi-million-dollar properties, arguing this is lost revenue.
“As Kelowna taxpayers grapple with rising costs and increasing user fees, we must ask if public funds continue to fully subsidize organizations that provide overlapping services,” said Nina George, lead researcher at KASHA. “The vast majority of Kelowna’s religious organizations are Christian. Why are taxpayers funding duplicate, multi-million-dollar properties that are often underutilized and inaccessible to secular individuals while some direct their savings toward political causes outside of Kelowna?”
George stressed this isn’t an attack on faith but a call for religious organizations to contribute more equitably to the community.
A statement provided to simplymastery from the city says that, under the Community Charter, a place of worship is given a general exemption (by the province) from taxation for the church building and the land on which the building stands. It also allows council to support such organizations that enhance quality of life and deliver services to residents.
Graph showing the number of properties owned by religious groups in the City of Kelowna and the property tax exemptions provided by the city and the province from 2021-2025.
“The City of Kelowna also recognizes the significant value of volunteers, volunteer groups and agencies to the spiritual, educational, social, cultural, and physical well-being of the community,” the statement reads. "This is not lost revenue. The taxation burden is transferred to other non-exempt properties."
KASHA and Advocacy Canada claim that some religious organizations redirect their tax savings to support proselytizing and political activities outside of Kelowna and that some donate to causes that work against human rights, including:
- 2SLGBTQIA+ rights;
- Reproductive freedoms;
- Dying with dignity initiatives.
Advocacy Canada’s research claims that only four out of 37 faith-based organizations in the Okanagan are considered safe and affirming for the queer community. According to the 2021 Census, 54 per cent of Central Okanagan residents said the were not religious.
“We believe that faith-based organizations that benefit from tax exemptions should provide tangible benefits to the broader community, ensuring their publicly subsidized status aligns with values of inclusivity, equality, and social good,” said Wilbur Turner, president of Advocacy Canada. "Public funds should not be used to support institutions that exclude or marginalize individuals based on their identity or beliefs,”
The two organizations are hosting presentations on the issue:
- Fair Taxes – Fair Future: Rethinking Property Taxes for Religiously Owned Properties - Sunday, March 9 - 1-3 p.m. - Kelowna Downtown Library
- Zoom Presentation - Wednesday, March 12 - 7-8 p.m. - Registration is required.
