Ahead of the 2017 BC election, Daily Hive has produced a range of guides to the key issues affecting young voters. To find all the guides and our full BC Election coverage, click here: Battleground BC.
Vancouver has a housing problem, this much we know. But as we head towards the BC Election on May 9, we need to know where the parties stand too.
Of course, all three BC parties have their own plan to deal with housing. Here’s what the BC NDP told Daily Hive about their strategy.
“We will take action with a comprehensive 10-year plan for affordable housing. John Horgan’s BC NDP will fix British Columbia’s shortage of decent, affordable housing.”
The BC NDP is promising to build 114,000 rental and co-op homes through partnerships over 10 years, building on public land where possible.
For renters, the party is also offering a rental home tax credit of $400 per rental household per year.
Controls on rent increases
To further increase supply of housing, the BC NDP would allow municipalities to tax Airbnb rentals and rezone areas for rentals.
As well, the BC NDP plans to enforce controls on rent increases, and pass laws to protect renters during renovations and demolitions.
In the real estate market, the party says it would reinstate the top tax bracket for those earning more $150,000 a year,
It would also hit real estate speculators with a yearly 2% “absentee speculators” empty homes tax.
The revenue from this tax would form a Housing Affordability Fund, to support housing affordability initiatives in BC.
Finally, the BC NDP say they will launch a multi-agency taskforce to fight tax fraud and money laundering in BC real estate.
To find more guides to all the issues and our full BC Election coverage, click here: Battleground BC.
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