Definitions

1   In this Act:

"improvements" means improvements as defined in the Assessment Act;

"land" does not include

(a) improvements,

(b) mines or minerals belonging to the government, or

(c) mines or minerals for which title in fee simple has been registered in the records of the land title office;

"land title office" means the land title office for the land title district where the municipality or the land is located;

"Provincial land" means land of which the government is the registered owner, but does not include land

(a) that forms part of an undertaking to conserve, irrigate, reclaim, rehabilitate or reforest land,

(b) that is a park, monument or historic site,

(c) under the control, management or administration of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, the British Columbia Railway Company, the Workers' Compensation Board, or a corporation, commission, board or agency specified by the Lieutenant Governor in Council,

(d) that forms part of a highway under the Transportation Act, or a road, street, lane or right of way designed or intended for use by the general public, or a place or passage way to which the public has access or is invited, or gravel pit or quarry,

(e) leased or occupied by a person from whom a municipality may levy and collect property taxes by reason of the person's interest in or occupation of the land or improvements on the land,

(f) that is vacant, except if designated for use or used for a specific purpose by the government,

(g) that forms part of a forest nursery, tree farm licence or access road, or

(h) specifically exempted from this definition by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Grants

2   (1) At the times and in the manner the Lieutenant Governor in Council may prescribe, the minister must in each year pay from the consolidated revenue fund to each municipality a grant equal to the product obtained by multiplying the assessed value of Provincial land and improvements on it in the municipality by the rate, including debt, fixed by the municipality in that year for general municipal and regional district taxation purposes.

(2) The assessed values of Provincial land and improvements on it to be used for the calculation of grants under subsection (1) must be determined by the British Columbia Assessment Authority as at December 31 of the preceding year and the British Columbia Assessment Authority must certify the assessed values so determined to the minister on or before April 15 in each year.

(3) If, as a result of the change in the method of determining the grant, the grant payable under subsection (1) is less than the grant paid to the municipality in 1977, subsection (1) does not apply and instead the minister must pay from the consolidated revenue fund a grant equal to the grant paid to the municipality on Provincial land and improvements on it in 1977.

(4) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may specify a portion of any land or improvements to be a park, monument or historic site under paragraph (b) of the definition of "Provincial land" in section 1.

Grants additional to others

3   The grant payable under section 2 is in addition to and not in substitution for money otherwise payable under another Act.

Power to make regulations

4   (1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations as follows:

(a) defining any expression used but not defined in this Act;

(b) extending the time for complying with a provision of this Act;

(c) providing for the payment by the minister of any amounts to a municipality.