Pipeline companies won’t be getting a massive property tax break for Christmas at the expense of some rural homeowners. At least not this year.

BC Assessment has backpedalled on a plan to slash the assessed values of transmission pipelines. The move would have resulted in pipeline companies paying significantly less taxes in several municipalities and regional districts, and resulted in local governments significantly increasing property taxes for homeowners and business owners to make up the revenue difference.

But after two months of protest and warnings by local government officials, officials in Victoria have announced they won’t be overhauling the pipeline assessments for the coming year. In a news release issued Wednesday afternoon, the Thompson Nicola Regional District said it had been informed that BC Assessment won’t be changing pipeline values for 2026.