Last week, I wrote a piece on municipal governments like Saanich and Abbotsford blowing property tax dollars on subsidizing golf courses.

It was very well-received—I did several interviews on it, especially on the Island, where Saanich is losing more than $800,000 a year on their Cedar Hill Golf Course. Cash-strapped cities like Thunder Bay and Winnipeg are selling off courses—getting taxpayers out of the shrinking golf business.

Vancouver has several municipal golf courses and pitch and putts. The sheer size of Vancouver’s population keeps their golf courses relatively busy, but even they are struggling with shrinking revenue.

According to the Vancouver Parks Board’s latest annual report, golf (and pitch and putts) generated $10.2 million for the Board—down from the $11.2 million they had projected. They spent $7.1 million, almost $900,000 more than they budgeted.

While that looks like a $3.1 million profit, the costs do not include utilities, city equipment, insurance, governance or management overhead, so it’s hard to get a handle on what the true “profit” is. 

How expensive is management? Well, a source sent along this internal job posting at the City of Vancouver. It seems they are looking for a Manager, Destination Parks and Golf Courses. Pay range: $103,912 to $129,881 “plus a generous benefits package.”

That’s your tax dollars at work, Vancouver taxpayers.