North Cowichan has changed its mind about denying an application for a permissive tax exemption in 2024 from Camp Qwanoes, an exemption the camp has had for 10 years.
Council voted 6-1 to give the first three readings to allow Camp Qwanoes a permissive tax exemption at its meeting on Sept. 26.
That motion was passed after council members voted 5-2 to recommend that the municipality deny the tax exemption request at a committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 12, mostly over the camp鈥檚 hiring practices.
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But Scott Bailey, the camp鈥檚 executive director, spoke to council as a delegation at the beginning of the meeting on Sept. 26 about how inclusive the camp is and that, while camp staff are asked to sign an agreement stating their religious beliefs, when campers from public schools come to camp, there is no religious content in the itinerary like there is for participants in the camp鈥檚 own programs.
Early in September, the Cowichan Valley School District was the third school district, after the Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Sooke, to sever ties with Camp Qwanoes, the youth based, adventure-driven Christian camp based out of Crofton that sees thousands of campers each summer.
The school districts said they did not agree with the camp鈥檚 views on 2SLGBTQ+, and what they regard as a lack of inclusivity.
At the council meeting on Sept. 26, Coun. Tek Manhas said the camp should be granted a permissive tax exemption in 2024 for all of the work they have done in the community, and will continue to do.
鈥淚 think they are just as qualified and they meet every eligibility as any other applicant for a tax exemption,鈥� he said.
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Coun. Christopher Justice said at first, red flags were raised for him when the school boards cut off ties with the camp, and the reasons they offered around concerns for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
鈥淚 also said that I needed more information and I did not hear a direct refutation of some of the things that have been said of the experiences of [2SLGBTQ+] persons at the camp,鈥� he said.
鈥淏ut I also feel that I鈥檝e learned a few things about what the camp has done and that makes me think there is a great amount of good being done there. I鈥檇 be in favour [of granting the camp a tax exemption in 2024] while we reexamine our permissive tax exemption policy over the next year.鈥�
Coun. Chris Istace, the only one who voted against granting the tax exemption, said it鈥檚 clear the camp provides a secure and welcoming experience for those that attend, but not necessarily for its employees.
鈥淲here I鈥檓 conflicted right now is that people are welcome to attend the camp and it sounds very inclusive and transformative, but it鈥檚 a mixed message when they say we welcome you with open arms and we鈥檒l support you and give you a good experience but, at the same time, they won鈥檛 hire you,鈥� he said.
