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.
乌鸦传媒淲e don乌鸦传媒檛 want to see vacant houses when we have people that can乌鸦传媒檛 find a place to rent,乌鸦传媒� Horgan told the News Bulletin. 乌鸦传媒淚f you want to avoid the speculation tax and you have a vacant home, you can rent it and you don乌鸦传媒檛 have to pay any tax. It was directed at making sure we乌鸦传媒檙e dealing with housing affordability. It wasn乌鸦传媒檛 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 shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be investing in the housing market as part of your real estate speculation 乌鸦传媒� that乌鸦传媒檚 the message we乌鸦传媒檙e sending.乌鸦传媒�
Malcolmson has been hearing about homelessness and housing affordability while campaigning and said she will push for change.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 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 乌鸦传媒� I乌鸦传媒檓 also reminded by the finance minister (Carole James) that if this isn乌鸦传媒檛 working for Nanaimo, or if Nanaimo乌鸦传媒檚 conditions change fast enough, then when the annual review comes up, if I乌鸦传媒檓 honoured to be the MLA, then I乌鸦传媒檒l be advocating for changes to the program to make sure it achieves the goal of affordability,乌鸦传媒� 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.
乌鸦传媒淎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,乌鸦传媒� said Malcolmson. 乌鸦传媒淭hey had 96 per cent compliance with people filling out the forms. B.C. Liberals didn乌鸦传媒檛 raise the issue in the legislature when they had the opportunity and the program that乌鸦传媒檚 in place right now is modelled on what worked well in Vancouver and so that乌鸦传媒檚 what I乌鸦传媒檓 talking with people when they say they乌鸦传媒檙e concerned, I let them know this is the best way for us to achieve the objective.乌鸦传媒�
Historically, governing parties haven乌鸦传媒檛 fared well in byelections and Horgan said he would take it step by step when asked about what would happen if his party loses.
乌鸦传媒淲hat if? What if? If horses had horns they乌鸦传媒檇 be unicorns,乌鸦传媒� said Horgan. 乌鸦传媒淭hey don乌鸦传媒檛, so I乌鸦传媒檓 going to take it one day at a time as I乌鸦传媒檝e been doing since I was sworn in 乌鸦传媒� We haven乌鸦传媒檛 had a byelection that乌鸦传媒檚 been so important as this one, but we have a spectacular candidate, in a spectacular community, so the 乌鸦传媒榃hat if?乌鸦传媒� is how quickly can we get Sheila Malcolmson to work to help fix some of the problems here in Nanaimo.乌鸦传媒�
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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