P.E.I. should bring in a provincial recreation levy, Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities says
'I think it's a really valuable discussion to be having,' says Summerside mayor
The Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities is asking the province to bring in an Island-wide levy that would help towns, cities and municipalities pay for their recreational facilities by collecting money from people who live outside their boundaries.
The resolution was brought forward by the Town of North Rustico at the annual general meeting for the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities.
"Paying for the operations of recreational facilities in general has been an issue, mostly because service centres such as the Town of North Rustico [are] servicing such a large area," said Stephanie Moase, the chief administrative officer of that town.
Places like North Rustico carry the cost of facilities that are used by people who live outside the town but commute in to use the facilities, Moase said.
Under the federation's proposal, the province would collect the levy and dole out money from that pool of cash to municipalities with recreational facilities.
The province's Department of Housing, Land and Communities needs time to review and discuss the proposal before commenting, officials with the department said in an email to CBC News.
One facility used by 13 surrounding communities
If the levy is adopted, the money could help support the operations at recreation facilities like the Eliyahu Wellness Centre in North Rustico. The wellness centre cost more than $22 million to build, exceeding its original budget. The facility is used by about 13 surrounding communities.
"The reason we're looking at this recreational levy is for specifically the operations of the building," Moase said.
The cost of keeping the lights on at the Eliyahu Wellness Centre is over $17,000, she said.
"We are running on a skeleton staff right now just to make sure that day-to-day costs are kept low," she said. "It creates some issues where staff are, you know, on the Zamboni when other members come into the building looking to go and pay for a gym membership."
Potential in Summerside, too
The City of Summerside recently agreed to take over the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex, which is over half a million dollars in debt.
A levy could help with running that facility, said Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher.
"We've got an incredible facility that serves people across the Island. Ultimately, the taxpayers of the City of Summerside pay for that," Kutcher said.
"It provides a lot of benefits locally, but it also provides a lot of benefit for the surrounding communities."
Opening a discussion about how recreation facilities are funded is a positive action, Kutcher said.
"These types of resolutions are how you initiate discussion, and I think it's a really valuable discussion to be having."
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With files from Tony Davis