The speculation tax is intended to address housing affordability and not hamper the real estate market, say the B.C. NDP.
Nanaimo byelection candidate Sheila Malcolmson and B.C. Premier John Horgan spoke at a provincial NDP council meeting in Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) on Saturday and with a byelection set for Jan. 30, discussed issues including the vacant home tax. Nanaimo is subject to the tax, while Kamloops, an area with similar population, is not. Lantzville, on Vancouver Island, is also subject and Parksville and Qualicum (also on the Island) while originally set to be taxed, were eventually exempted.
Horgan said the vacancy rate and homeless problems were why Nanaimo was included.
sa国际传媒淲e donsa国际传媒檛 want to see vacant houses when we have people that cansa国际传媒檛 find a place to rent,sa国际传媒� Horgan told the News Bulletin. sa国际传媒淚f you want to avoid the speculation tax and you have a vacant home, you can rent it and you donsa国际传媒檛 have to pay any tax. It was directed at making sure wesa国际传媒檙e dealing with housing affordability. It wasnsa国际传媒檛 exclusively about restricting those coming in and buying more properties. You can buy all the properties you want, but fill them with people. Houses are supposed to be for people. You shouldnsa国际传媒檛 be investing in the housing market as part of your real estate speculation sa国际传媒� thatsa国际传媒檚 the message wesa国际传媒檙e sending.sa国际传媒�
Malcolmson has been hearing about homelessness and housing affordability while campaigning and said she will push for change.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 getting feedback from people that they want to see all tools employed to make up for the last 16 years of B.C. Liberal inaction sa国际传媒� Isa国际传媒檓 also reminded by the finance minister (Carole James) that if this isnsa国际传媒檛 working for Nanaimo, or if Nanaimosa国际传媒檚 conditions change fast enough, then when the annual review comes up, if Isa国际传媒檓 honoured to be the MLA, then Isa国际传媒檒l be advocating for changes to the program to make sure it achieves the goal of affordability,sa国际传媒� said Malcolmson.
British Columbians will be required to fill out a form in relation to the tax and Malcolmson addressed the notion that the province should go after speculators and not all people.
sa国际传媒淎s was the experience in Vancouver, for you to find the speculators, you do need to do the paperwork and it was implemented without a great deal of controversy in Vancouver,sa国际传媒� said Malcolmson. sa国际传媒淭hey had 96 per cent compliance with people filling out the forms. B.C. Liberals didnsa国际传媒檛 raise the issue in the legislature when they had the opportunity and the program thatsa国际传媒檚 in place right now is modelled on what worked well in Vancouver and so thatsa国际传媒檚 what Isa国际传媒檓 talking with people when they say theysa国际传媒檙e concerned, I let them know this is the best way for us to achieve the objective.sa国际传媒�
Historically, governing parties havensa国际传媒檛 fared well in byelections and Horgan said he would take it step by step when asked about what would happen if his party loses.
sa国际传媒淲hat if? What if? If horses had horns theysa国际传媒檇 be unicorns,sa国际传媒� said Horgan. sa国际传媒淭hey donsa国际传媒檛, so Isa国际传媒檓 going to take it one day at a time as Isa国际传媒檝e been doing since I was sworn in sa国际传媒� We havensa国际传媒檛 had a byelection thatsa国际传媒檚 been so important as this one, but we have a spectacular candidate, in a spectacular community, so the sa国际传媒榃hat if?sa国际传媒� is how quickly can we get Sheila Malcolmson to work to help fix some of the problems here in Nanaimo.sa国际传媒�
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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