Provincial Finance Minister Carole Taylor says the current grants didn't always match the pressure Crown Corporations placed on the communities in which they are located.

The change  is to reflect concerns from municipalities that they were  facing financial  hardship  because they were home to commercial Crown Corportations.  The changes will see that  provincial properties that  are used for commercial activities  pay grants that would have been paid if they were privately owned and in the case of  ower generating facilities, the changes are designed to  show "fairness and equity for surrounding municipalities impacted by hydro reservoirs."

The increases will start next year, and will  involved the following changes:

Mackenzie : last year it got $582,548 in grants, next year that amount will nearly double to $1,034,382 an dincrease of $451,834

Valemount:  last year it got $126,605 in grants, next year that amount will increase to $178,386 an increase of $51,781 and there will be a boost to the

Regional District of Fraser Fort George: Last year it received  $316,422  next year that will be increased to $475 thousand, an increase of $159,188.

The new formula will also see future grant payments indexed to changes in total municipal property tax revenue.