Council Adopts Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw to Incentivize Development

Dawson Creek, BC – At the August 11, 2025 Council Meeting, City Council adopted Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw No. 4609, 2025. The bylaw is designed to encourage new development and property improvements within Dawson Creek.  

Council’s Strategic Priority “Vibrant Downtown” and the recent work that Staff have been completing on Downtown Revitalization Plans spurred the original conversation that led to a robust Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw for all property types. According to the new bylaw, if you own land within city limits on which an eligible project is to be constructed, you (or your designate) are eligible to apply for municipal tax exemptions, so long as the total construction costs surpass $75,000. The tax exemptions apply only to the municipal portion of property taxes; they do not apply to other taxes such as school, hospital and regional district taxes. 

Revitalization Tax Exemption Amounts and Timelines 

If you construct, alter, or renovate a property the increase in its assessed value won’t be taxed by the City for a certain period, as listed below. Only the original assessed value of the improvements will be taxed - not the new, higher value after construction or upgrades. Tax exemptions will be as follows for residential properties (Class 1) and all other property types: 

Residential Properties - Class 1 

The municipal tax exemptions that will be given over a span of five years for new development or property improvements on approved residential properties are: 

All Other Property Types  

The municipal tax exemptions that will be given over a span of five years for new development or property improvements on all other approved property types, such as commercial or light industry properties, are: 

Applications Due September 15, 2025 

Applications for Revitalization Tax Exemptions must be submitted on or before September 15, 2025 to be considered for the first year of approvals. Application forms, as well as an application guide, can be found online at www.dawsoncreek.ca/revitalization-tax. Applications can also be picked up in person at the Engineering counter at City Hall, 10105 12A Street.  

Applications must be submitted before any building permit has been issued for any part of the project. For 2025, applications will also be considered for projects with previous building permit applications, provided that the application was not made prior to January 1, 2025. 

Approval Process 

Once the application is complete, a Revitalization Tax Agreement will be considered by Council. If the Agreement is approved by Council and it has been signed by the property owner, a Tax Exemption Certificate will be issued by the City. BC Assessment will then adjust the assessed value of improvements in future years to account for the exemption, as the impact of construction is realized on the property. 

The Tax Exemption Certificate may be cancelled if any of the conditions are not met and you may be required to pay back taxes that you were exempted from paying. 

Questions about this program can be directed to tax_dept@dawoncreek.ca or by phone at 250-784-3600. Learn more at www.dawsoncreek.ca/revitalization-tax.  

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