Photo: Contributed

Just two days after the government's new speculation and vacancy tax was introduced in the legislature, changes will be made at the urging of Green Party leader Andrew Weaver.

However, those changes are not sitting well with Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran or West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater. Both cities are part of a handful of communities affected by the tax.

Both have been lobbying Victoria in hopes of scrapping the tax, or allowing municipalities to opt out.

The changes, announced Thursday drop the tax from one per cent to 0.5 per cent, direct revenues from the tax to the communities where they are collected, and establish a yearly meeting between the mayors of affected communities and the finance minister to review the tax.

"At the end of the day, we keep hearing from people who are saying regardless what the amount is, they are not being welcome in our province, and particularly in Kelowna and West Kelowna," said Basran.

As for funds directed back to the municipality, Basran questions whether it would actually result in a net gain.

"I think what it will be is the money collected in the City of Kelowna will just replace money we would have gotten for other projects and various priorities that will now be moved to other parts of the province.

"Unless they can show us there is a net gain in the funding we will receive to work on some of our highest priority issues like homelessness and social issues, again, I am not necessarily sure this is a positive gain for the community."

Findlater was less kind to Green leader Andrew Weaver, who he felt undersold their concerns.

"Weaver, for all the huff and puff and promises, obviously caved in," said Findlater.

"A meeting once a year with somebody we've already met with... I'm not confident a meeting would produce anything."

Findlater said while the money may be helpful, the city needs a climate in which the private sector and developers step up to build housing to meet these needs.

"We can't rely on government to provide the funding to do that. In fact, this might be counter-productive if developers are competing with other developments that are funded through grants."

Findlater said the city will continue to lobby the Green Party for an opt-out provision.