City of Powell River is cracking down on businesses not paying annual licensing fees. At a committee of the whole meeting on February 27, city councillors were given a report showing some businesses have outstanding fees owing from the last three to five years. Final payment notices went out to 17 businesses in December 2017, including a warning that legal action might be taken and the summary fine could be as high as $10,000. The letter resulted in 11 businesses paying their unpaid fees in full. Of the remaining six, three asked for a payment schedule, but the business licence bylaw does not allow for such a mechanism. Staff has been directed to review the bylaw, create a payment structure, start discussions with the city’s solicitor that would force legal action against businesses in default and report back. The city has not heard from the three businesses that have not paid their outstanding fees.
