Photo: BC Liberals
The provincial government is not doing enough to make home ownership in BC more affordable
So says liberal housing critic and Kelowna West MLA Ben Stewart, who spoke to Castanet News when the reference price for a Kelowna home rose more than $ 100,000 in just two months.
Stewart points out a number of ways the province needs to strengthen.
One of them is the way she supports churches.
“In Kelowna they introduced a parking tax (for new builds). There are many reasons they did it, but at the end of the day it adds to the cost,” says Stewart.
“But what is the province doing to reduce the cost of things that communities have to pay for, such as transit or infrastructure?
“There is no money in the new budget to support the communities and help them reduce these costs.”
Stewart says the budget also did not include resources to increase the supply of new homes, the lack of which is helping to drive prices up.
“These increases are breathtaking … and the province has the power to do a lot more than it does.
“I see that the real estate transfer tax has gone up and the exemption for first-time home buyers hasn’t increased. That certainly doesn’t work in our market, Vancouver or Victoria.”
Stewart says the Feds need to move up too.
“There has to be a housing summit that brings together the federal and state ministries responsible for housing and can work with local authorities,” says Stewart.
“It has to be brave and have bigger visions. Cutting red tape when applying for permits, etc.
He says that creativity and imagination are needed by all levels of government, especially when dealing with offers.
The municipalities should make it clear to both the minister and themselves, as opposition critics, what they need.
Stewart says the lines of communication must remain open. But at the end of the day, he thinks it’s the province.
“The province also needs to strengthen, but to be honest I don’t see the province strengthening.”
