Churches struggle with major rent increases
TORONTO, ON—For seven years, North Victory Baptist Church has met in the gymnasium and classrooms of William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute. Church properties are hard to come by in Toronto, says pastor Henry Manansala, and the school provides a wonderful, central location for his congregation of 250.
But in the last week of August, the congregation was hit with a startling bill increase—the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) was raising their rent from about $35,000 a year to about $115,000. The increase was effective immediately.
Recently the TDSB voted to raise the cost of all the permits for using school facilities by 43.7 per cent in order to offset budget concerns. However, in the same move religious groups were stripped of their subsidized non-profit status, and moved up to the higher permit rate for-profit groups pay. For some churches this has meant a rent increase of up to 80 per cent.
"This is actually double jeopardy for us," Manansala adds, saying Toronto's strict zoning restrictions on places of worship have led to them being turned down for several properties they hoped to buy. "We have the money, by the grace of God, to buy a property, but because of zoning we have been left with renting the school. But now, we are being kicked out of the school. So what is there left for us? Nothing, basically."
About 80 churches are affected by the changes. In September, a group of pastors met to pray and protest outside the TDSB headquarters. Several, including Manansala, were also given the opportunity to speak before a meeting of the school board trustees. They are also encouraging Christians to write to school board trustees.
He points out that the Toronto media has recently run a series of articles looking at the TDSB's budgetary woes—problems which have been linked back to spending causes unrelated to permit fees. In fact, he argues, by increasing rents so steeply the school board is losing a potential source of revenue.
The school board is now charging the church rent on a week by week basis, a situation which is untenable in the long term.
"They were gracious enough to let us use it while we are looking for a place, and that's something we can thank God for," Manansala adds. "But just as it's not easy to find a place to buy, it's not easy to find a place to rent.
"We are praying that the Lord will change their minds somehow."
ChristianWeek called the TDSB for comment and was directed to the facility permits page of its website. It states the TDSB "opens its doors and welcomes hundreds of organizations and agencies into our classrooms, gyms and facilities," more than any other school board in Ontario, and says the new increases will "make running community permits sustainable for the long term."
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