Property tax-exempt status was granted to the Taber Golf Club by town council following the presentation of a delegation at the Jan. 14 meeting.
Council voted to approve the Taber Golf Club’s application for tax-exempt status for its operations at 4909 44th Street, with respect to tax roll 3191628, for a three-year period commencing with the 2013 tax year.
“The golf course is re-applying for their tax exemption. It operates under sec. 149(1)(L) of the Income Tax Act as a non-profit organization,” said John Belanger, treasurer of the Taber Golf Club.
“It’s a club that is organized and operated exclusively for the social welfare, pleasure and recreation for any purpose, except profit. No part of the income of which is payable or otherwise available to, for personal benefit of anyone.”
The Taber Golf Club has maintained property tax exempt status since 1999, with the organization’s professed purpose being the promotion of the game of golf, maintenance and improvement of the golf course, and the operation of the facilities for the enjoyment of its members and the general public.
“The golf course has a membership of just over 300, and is open to the public as a member of the community,” said Belanger. “It hosts various charitable fundraisers throughout the year, and those tournaments all contribute back to the community as a whole. It has a good youth program we’ve tried to make all very affordable for our youth. Last year we did some comparatives, and on average, our youth can play for about 50 per cent less than any golf course around here. We believe they’re the future of golf, and having the club around, so we like to promote that.”
“We’re applying under the MGA (Municipal Government Act) 362(1)(N),  property held by a non-profit, used solely for community games, sports and recreation, for the benefit of the general public,” said Belanger.
Coun. Garth Bekkering questioned the non-profit nature of the organization considering the existence of a contracted food service operating within the clubhouse.
“The restaurant, as I understand, is leased out to an individual party. So do you feel in any way that because you’re asking for a tax exemption on the whole, that the restaurant is unfairly advantaged to other restuarants in the town that are paying public tax?”
Director of Corporate Services Dale Culler quickly clarified for council that tax exempt status did not apply to the clubhouse operations of the Taber Golf Club.
“It’s not on the building. It’s on the course itself — they’re two property rolls. The one roll is for the course itself and the improvements on the course, and the other is for the building and the parking lot. The exemption is for the course itself, not the building and the parking lot.”