Tax vacant properties as pending businesses, urges Alberta Avenue Business Improvement Area
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Orsign-inif you have an account. A former grocery store sits empty on 97 Street in Edmonton on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The city is looking into classifying empty commercial properties as "pending businesses" to be able to charge landowners a "BIA tax" to contribute to the work of Business Improvement Areas. Photo by Eric Bowling/PostmediaCity council and its Business Improvement Area (BIA) partners are back at the drawing board after a rash of regulatory changes made by the Municipal Affairs Minstry did not include an option to charge the city’s BIA tax to property owners. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. 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Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorTaxing property owners the same way as business owners who are members of BIAs are taxed was floated as a potential “stick” for landowners sitting on vacant properties, which in some cases are being occupied by squatters and/or drug users contributing to social disorder. Council sent aletterto Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams on Feb. 11 to ask for the ability to do so, but a series ofregulatorychanges in a June 29 ministerial order did not include the requested change. “Our members are upset because they get to pay taxes and contribute to the BIA levy even when sales are not good, or they struggle to move their inventory, while commercial properties owners get a tax discount and BIA exemption when their properties sit empty, attracting social disorder and destroying the vibrancy that our collective investment aims to accomplish,” said Alberta Avenue BIA executive director Erick Estrada. “The critical question is why commercial properties owners are not considered a business and get a tax discount when they fail to move their inventory? Do residents get a tax discount when they don’t use their homes?Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Why would the province not allow the city to give commercial property owners the same treatment that other business and/or tax them at the same rates when they fail to move their inventory?”On Tuesday, Alberta Avenue BIA board member David Plamondon said the organization was disappointed but appreciated the city going to bat for businesspeople. He noted there may still be some options the city could look at to achieve the same means. “I know the decision from the Government of Alberta didn’t go the way we wanted it to, despite their constant promises of red tape reduction,” he said. “I would encourage council to examine how commercial properties are licensed — most commercial properties are in fact operating as businesses, they are generating revenue for the owners. “So I think it would be an option for the city to consider those empty properties as pending businesses and taxing them as BIA levy-paying members as well. ”Mayor Andrew Knack said he was open to thinking outside the box to find a solution and noted administration was looking into the feasibility of Plamondon’s proposal. “Vacant businesses are part of the BIA and they benefit from the work of the BIA, but at the same time they’re not charged the same fee as a business owner — I think it’s important for us to be consistent,” he said. “Now it’s a matter of continuing to take (the province’s) feedback and seeing what we can modify internally to support the work of BIAs. ”Postmedia reached out to the province for an explanation why the city’s request was not approved but did not receive a response by press time. 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