The municipality of Summerland is awaiting approval from the province to collect a hotel and tourism tax.
At the Aug. 7 board meeting of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS), Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes requested that RDOS support the municipality's application to collect the Municipal and Regional District Tax in Summerland, at a rate of three per cent.
This tax, collected within many communities in the province, is levied on guests who check in to hotels and other accommodation providers.
Holmes said there is a lengthy process involved before a community can collect this tax.
鈥淚t's quite a process to apply. You have to get community support, you have to get 51 per cent of the accommodation providers in your community with 51 per cent of the rooms and all that kind of stuff,鈥� he told the regional district board. 鈥淭he government has to approve it, and it actually has to go to cabinet.鈥�
Four of the five accommodation providers in Summerland, including the community鈥檚 largest hotel, have given their support.
In July, Summerland council passed a bylaw to proceed with this application.
鈥淲e are one of the only communities not charging this tax in the entire valley,鈥� Graham Statt, Summerland鈥檚 chief administrative officer, said at the time.
While the application for approval has been completed and sent, Holmes said it is on hold until a letter of support is given from the regional district. This support has now been approved.
If the tax request receives provincial approval, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and is expected to bring in $140,000 to $180,000 per year.
The money from this tax would be used exclusively for tourism promotion and destination marketing for Summerland.
