CHURCHES STILL BEING BILLED FOR USING SCHOOLS ON SUNDAYS

Tuesday June 15, 2004

Halifax – Halifax Atlantic NDP MLA Michele Raymond is calling on the Minister of Education Jamie Muir to use the powers given him as Minister in the recent amendment to the Education Act to end the practice of charging a school rental fee to churches who use school facilities for Sunday worship.

“Bill 48 was passed in the Spring session,� says Raymond. “But the Minister has failed to have it proclaimed, and failed to use the clause that allows him to exempt groups from school rental fees.�

“Churches like this one are designated charities,� says Raymond. “Surely the Minister can see the sense in using his discretion to exempt them from rental fees too.�

“What’s going on here, what is the hold-up? While we wait for the Minister to grind into action boards like the Halifax School Board are sending out bills.�

Raymond says that the issue of charging churches for the use of school facilities was brought to her attention by the case of a Baptist Church in her constituency. The Gospel Light Baptist Church plans to build a church of its own, but in the meantime holds Sunday services in the Harrietsfield Elementary School. Last week the Church’s Minister received a statement from the Halifax Regional School Board again charging the congregation $40.00 an hour for rental of the school, for a minimum of four hours a week.

Bill 48, An Act to Amend Chapter 1 of the Acts of 1995-96 the Education Act, passed in the House of Assembly May 20, 2004 requires school boards to “make school facilities available free of charge to community youth groups, or other groups designated by the Minister.� The Bill, and any further Ministerial designations, becomes law when it is proclaimed by an Order in Council by Cabinet, which to date has not occurred.

“The Minister has to make the amendment law, add this exemption, and instruct school boards of the change in rental policy.�

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