Churches provide huge economic value to local communities

A recent study done for First Met says local governments would have to pay billions of dollars more from taxpayers’ budgets to provide community programs and services if churches and other faith communities did not exist.

Studies by the Halo Project suggest congregations, representing religious Canadians of all faiths, contribute an estimated $15.5 billion a year to Canada’s social economy. The First Met Board commissioned the Halo Project last fall to assess First Met’s socio-economic value to our own community.

Click here for more information and to see the full report

The study says First Met alone provides $15.8 million to the Victoria community in terms of local economic and social benefits, a local per capita value of $99,555 per worshipper.

The Halo Project studies are coordinated by Sphaera Research of Toronto. The Board is making the results of our study available to First Met members to show the value churches like ours offer our neighbourhoods and communities.