From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello,
What a wonderful time of year, warmer days, longer evenings, and roadsides awash in blooms. This report shares info on how the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) can work together with non-profit housing societies to expand access to housing.
A recent SRD staff report outlines how the SRD can leverage resources and expertise to further the mandate of public housing, support strategic partnerships, and issue tax receipts for land donations: all these supports are helpful as rural non-profit housing societies face many barriers to achieving creation of affordable housing projects.
Tax receipts for land donations
Land for building an attainable housing project upon is an extremely costly barrier to be surmounted by non-profit housing societies such as the Discovery Islands Affordable Housing Society. A land donation is a huge boost to move an affordable or attainable housing project forward.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) permits regional districts to issue official donation tax receipts for land donations. Typically, the tax receipt reflects the appraised fair market value, minus any advantage received (monetary compensation, access rights, or other benefits). A land donation can include specific intent — to be used for housing, or conservation. The donation process requires appraisal to establish fair market value and acceptance by resolution of the regional district Board prior to issuance of a donation receipt. Once accepted, the Regional District may use the land in accordance with its public mandate or with conditions reasonably associated with the donation.
While the CRA regulations prohibit the Regional District issuing a receipt on behalf of another entity such as a non-profit housing society, the Regional District may retain ownership and lease the land to a non-profit housing society under a long-term, legally binding housing agreement; sell the land and use the proceeds to support its public housing mandate; or, use the land directly as part of a housing initiative in which the Regional District retains control.
Further housing collaboration & support
Beyond receipts for land donations, the SRD can collaborate in other ways to support housing in electoral areas. This includes pre-zoning land or identifying suitable parcels within Official Community Plans for affordable housing; expediting rezoning and development approvals for projects led by non-profit housing societies; capacity-building funding to assist smaller societies in project development and management; and facilitating partnerships between non-profits, developers, and financial institutions. If you’d like to learn more, you can read the Working with Non-Profit Housing Societies report here: bit.ly/SRD-housing-nonprofits.
Community Health & Wellness Committee focusing on housing
Attainable and affordable housing on Quadra will support local businesses with finding and retaining employees, help attract and retain families, and support staffing the healthcare services we rely on. I’m pleased the SRD’s recently formed Community Health and Wellness Committee is focusing on housing, including seeking a report to explore options for the SRD’s Regional Housing Service, and considering potential stakeholders to work with who could provide insight. I look forward to the concrete steps which will ensue.
Thank you for reading. You’re welcome to connect with me with questions or concerns: you can email RMawhinney@srd.ca, or call 250.203.2468. And, if you or someone you know is interested in exploring a land donation, let’s chat!
Until next time,
Respectfully,
Director Robyn Mawhinney
| Photos in this report are from my Sunday afternoon walk around Morte Lake… maidenhair fern; sandy shoreline; twinberry honeysuckle; lodgepole pine. |
| Copyright © 2025 Robyn Mawhinney, Regional Director for Area C, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Robyn Mawhinney, Regional Director for Area C Box 566 Heriot Bay, BC V0P 1H0 Canada |