Vanier residents protest $2.9M tax break for Porsche dealership

As Ottawa city council gets set to vote on a controversial $2.9 million tax break for a Porsche dealership in Vanier, some residents are voicing opposition to the move.

Council meets Wednesday and is expected to approve the tax break. The proposalreceived unanimous support from the finance committee last week.

Mark Motorsare the first applicants toa two-year-old City of Ottawa program, known as the Community Improvement Program (CIP), which is aimed at revitalizingVanier's main street.

The luxury car dealership companyis looking to builda flagship Porsche store at Montreal Road and St. Laurent Boulevard currently the site ofboth an Audi and Alfa Romeo/Maserati dealership.

City staff project the site's property taxes would spiketo $355,000 annually, or 14 times more than the owners currently pay. In exchange for upgrading the property, the city would payagrant worthup to 75 per cent of the difference over 10 years.

Vanier residents, however, say they're unconvinced the grant is needed and question whether the program's criteria are being applied properly. Dozens gathered Tuesday to protestoutside the Audi dealership ina final effort to convince councillors to vote against theproposalbefore Wednesday's meeting.

"Vanier is a welcoming community. It's a community for everyone. This isn't a community of millionaires. It's a community of average people who want to see our main street filled with businesses that we would use in our daily lives," said Laura Shantz.

"We don't want to see cash for tax breaks for millionaire dealership owners when what we really need is small community businesses."

Protesters said they believe the Mrak family, who own Mark Motors, would be able to afford to pay the additional $2.7 million in property taxes. They said that money could go towardsocial services and affordable housing in the neighbourhood.

"There's lots of businesseson thisstreet that havebeen hurt by the pandemic ...I would want to see them grow and them thrive before aplace that I will never go," said Lauren Seward-Monday, who is also a member of Ottawa ACORN, a community advocacy non-profit.

Residents say application, city report unclear

In a statement released earlier this week, the Vanier Community Association(VCA) also raised concerns about the application submitted to the city.

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While it initially supported the CIP, the associationsaid the application for the Porsche dealership wasn't clear about whether or not the project could proceed without the grant. VCA also said the city's report did "not provide a clear socio-economic analysis."

"We are keen to see Montreal Roadbecome a thriving and inclusive hub of our community" but that support should be given to "small businesses, full-time jobs with benefits for Vanierois," as well as affordable housing, public art, green initiatives and collective spaces, the statement said.

Mayor Jim Watson has previously said building the Porsche dealershipwould put the city $1 million ahead. He saidthat money could fund"greater social services, more social housing, greater infrastructure."