Saanich Council Takes Step Toward Supporting Non-Profit Medical Clinics with Permissive Tax Exemptions

Press Release - January 27, 2026

Saanich Council Takes Step Toward Supporting Non-Profit Medical Clinics with Permissive Tax Exemptions

Saanich, BC – Family Doctors for Saanich is welcoming a unanimous decision by Saanich Council to begin exploring policies that could help reduce barriers for non-profit medical clinics and improve access to primary care in the District.

At its January 26 meeting, Saanich Council adopted a motion brought forward by Councillor Karen Harper and seconded by Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff directing staff to refer the issue of permissive tax exemptions for non-profit medical clinics to both the Arts, Culture and Community Wellbeing Advisory Committee and the Finance and Governance Standing Committee for consideration.

Permissive tax exemptions are a tool available to municipalities under provincial legislation to reduce or eliminate property taxes for organizations that provide a clear public benefit. In Saanich, this tool is already used to support a range of non-profit and community-serving organizations. Extending this approach to non-profit medical clinics could help lower operating costs, stabilize existing clinics, and reduce barriers for new clinics seeking to establish themselves in the community.

“Lack of access to primary care is one of the most serious issues facing Saanich residents right now. For many people, it is not just a matter of convenience but of health, quality of life, and in some cases life itself,” said JoAnne Nelson, Family Doctors for Saanich. “Permissive tax exemptions may seem modest, but they are a practical step the District can take to support non-profit clinics and help address a crisis that is not going to resolve on its own.”

The motion does not itself create a new tax exemption. Instead, it initiates a review process through two Council bodies that will examine whether and how such a policy could be implemented, including its financial implications and alignment with community wellbeing goals.

“I was pleased to sponsor a motion on consideration of permissive tax exemptions for non-profit clinics in order for this to be included in councils consideration of ways the municipality may be able to assist in the crisis for many of our residents who lack a primary medical care provider,” said Saanich Councillor Karen Harper. “The support of my colleagues in recognizing the importance of this issue to our residents, and the need to start looking at options to help, was heartening.”

Councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff emphasized the importance of permissive tax exemptions as a policy tool while underscoring the need for a broader approach.

“Permissive tax exemptions are one of the ways local governments can support organizations that are providing a benefit to the community,” said Saanich Councillor Phelps Bondaroff. “Permissive tax exemptions are a place to start, but this crisis demands a broader and more sustained response. Saanich needs to actively explore a wide range of available tools to support non-profit primary care clinics and increase access to family doctors and nurse practitioners.”

“In addition to this measure, we also need to be looking at other tools available to the District, such as density bonusing to encourage new developments to include space for clinics, or exploring how Saanich-owned property could be used in partnership with non-profits to support primary care delivery, said Councillor Phelps Bondaroff. “I hope that the committees examining this policy will see this referral as a signal to explore the issue of what the District can do to help get more people family doctors more broadly.”

Family Doctors for Saanich supporters note that while provincial and federal governments play the primary role in funding health care, municipalities can still make a meaningful difference by reducing costs and logistical hurdles for community-based clinics. The group also notes that thousands of residents in the District remain unattached to a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and that non-profit clinic models are increasingly important in responding to this gap. Reducing fixed costs such as property taxes can help make these models more viable, particularly in high-cost urban areas.

Access to primary care is a serious and ongoing challenge in our community. Numbers from the Ministry of Health, provided to Family Doctors for Saanich for the Saanich Peninsula and Oak Bay (covering a total population of ~133,929), show the following:

Currently attached to a provider: 98,301
Seeking attachment (registered on the HCR): 19,038
Unattached and not registered on HCR: 22,886

And according to the Saanich Peninsula Area Profile from Island Health (using 2022-2023 numbers), at least 19.1% of people living in the Saanich Peninsula are not attached to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Measures that help non-profit clinics reduce operating costs and lower barriers to establishing new practices are a practical way the District can help address this gap.

"It was wonderful to see Councillor Harper bring forward a motion in favour of permissive property tax exemption for primary care clinics that are operated in Saanich by non profit groups. And then to watch ALL Saanich councillors support the motion, even better." Tony Wass, Family Doctors for Saanich. “About 35,000 Saanich residents are not attached to a primary care provider. We urgently need 30 to 40 more doctors. We do not expect Saanich to provide the doctors, but the city could make it easier and cheaper for new clinics to open."

Family Doctors for Saanich will be monitoring the upcoming committee discussions closely and is encouraging Council to continue exploring additional municipal actions that could support primary care access. These could include land use tools, partnerships with non-profits, and advocacy to other levels of government.

Further updates will be shared as the motion moves through committee consideration.

“Ensuring residents can access a family doctor or nurse practitioner is fundamental to the health and well-being of our community, and exploring policy tools such as permissive tax exemptions for non-profit clinics is one thing the District can do to help,” said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock. “The importance of access to primary care in our community is also why I am convening the Mayor’s Forum on Health Services in Saanich next month. Addressing access to primary care will require collaboration, and I am looking forward to bringing partners together to examine current efforts and identify additional actions the District can support.”

Permissive Tax Exemptions and Non-Profit Medical Clinics

Under Section 224 of the Community Charter, municipalities in British Columbia may grant permissive tax exemptions to properties used by organizations that provide a public benefit. Eligible recipients can include charities, non-profit organizations, schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and other community-serving entities. A permissive tax exemption may apply to all or a portion of a property’s municipal taxes.

The Community Charter does not allow municipalities to subsidize or directly support for-profit enterprises. As a result, any potential application of permissive tax exemptions to medical clinics would be limited to clinics operated by non-profit organizations.

Saanich already grants permissive tax exemptions to a number of organizations, which are listed in the District’s annual financial reporting. Examples of non-profit organizations operating or supporting primary care clinics in the region include the West Saanich Clinic, recently acquired by the South Island Primary Care Society, or the Luther Court Society (which operates the Luther Court Community Health Centre), or the Shoreline Medical Society.

About Family Doctors for Saanich

Family Doctors for Saanich is a grassroots, volunteer-driven campaign working to support broader efforts to increase access to primary care in the District of Saanich. The group’s goal is simple: to help ensure that everyone in Saanich can see a family doctor or nurse practitioner when they need one.

The campaign focuses on encouraging residents without a primary care provider to register with the provincial Health Connect Registry, raising awareness about the growing need for family doctors and nurse practitioners in the community, and supporting initiatives that help bring more primary care professionals into Saanich.

Family Doctors for Saanich is powered by volunteers with a wide range of skills and backgrounds. Volunteers engage with the community by tabling at local events, canvassing neighbourhoods, speaking with neighbours, supporting fundraising efforts led by local partners, and sharing information online. Anyone can participate, and the campaign believes that small actions, taken together, can make a meaningful difference in improving access to care.