City of Prince George asking for support for Northern-Rural Homeowners Grant

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Prince George is requesting Fort St. John’s support to request the province to reconsider its decision to end the Northern-Rural Homeowner Benefit. 

A letter from the Prince George’s mayor, Simon Yu, was presented to the council during the July 13 regular council meeting.

On February 17, the province announced changes to provincial tax laws, including the repeal of the $200 Northern and Rural Homeowner Benefit per eligible homeowner. 

Yu, in his letter, thanked the local governments for supporting the city’s request that the province reconsider its decision. 

The B.C. government’s homeowner grant helps reduce the amount of property tax residents pay each year on their principal residence. 

“The grant is available to homeowners who pay property taxes either to a municipality or directly to the Province if they live in a rural area,” Yu said. 

The current grant amount for homeowners in the capital, Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley Regional District is $570 each. In all other areas of the province, the amount is $770 per homeowner, and, from 2027 onward, the additional $200 Northern and Rural Homeowner Benefit will be repealed. 

Yu believes this benefit will have a disproportionate impact on northern and rural communities where residents and municipalities face increasing cost pressures. 

This includes higher transportation costs, longer supply chains, increased heating expenses and limited access to services. 

“Maintaining regional recognition within provincial programs remains essential to supporting affordability and fairness for northern and rural residents,” he said. 

Yu said the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) will not add local government as additional sponsors after the submission deadline. 

“If two local governments submit very similar or identical resolutions, UBCM will advance one for consideration and place the other in the referred resolutions section of the Resolutions Book, with each resolution cross-referenced in the Committee Comments,” Yu explained. 

Yu is asking northern and rural local governments affected by this decision to support the UBCM resolution at the September 2026 convention by speaking at the Pro Mic and voting in favour. 

He said, “We also welcome additional support letters from municipalities so that the City may leverage these during future advocacy.”

To see the full letter, see below.