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