Citing the need for continued COVID relief, North Saanich has decided to waive the licence fees for both new business licences and renewals for 2022.
Businesses that currently hold 2021 North Saanich licences should expect their new ones in the mail in the next two weeks.
For those that do not have licences, a form is available online at northsaanich.ca.
The district said any losses from the fees will be offset by funding from the COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant.
The same move was made by Sidney earlier this year.
Sidney has also directed its staff to research the possibility of doing away with the annual fee once and for all.
Sidney estimates the revenue loss from licence fees would be about $85,000, and the only revenue, about $10,000, would then come from new licences. The cost to administer business licensing already exceeds the revenue generated.
The town has instructed its staff to look into a perpetual business licence program, where only new businesses would pay a one-time licence fee.
