Calgary bingo halls receive $189K property tax exemption

Calgary's three remaining bingo halls are getting a tax break for the second year in a row.

Council voted Tuesday to give thebingo halls an exemptionfrom paying property taxes, a movethe city saysis worth about $189,000 this year.

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"By us imposing a tax that they shouldn't even be taxed on, it's creating a bit of a challenge for them to be able to provide funding for community associations and other not-for-profit organizations," said Coun. Andre Chabot.

Chabot says he expects provincial legislation will soon make the tax exemption permanent.

"We expect the regulations will be coming to us within a month, which means that [from] 2018 on, we won't have to do this because they will automatically be exempt," he said.

Chabot says bingo halls raise money for more than 100 non-profits and charities in Calgary.

To qualify for the exemption, the halls have to confirm in writing that they won't profit from the tax breaks.

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