In 2017, the NDP promised to build 140,000 affordable homes in ten years, but seven years later they’ve built just 16,000.
While the NDP said they would build affordable housing, the results have been an increase in government bureaucracy and red tape that has led to skyrocketing housing costs and fewer homes people can afford.
Under David Eby, British Columbia has the highest housing costs in North America and the most expensive rents in the entire country. More people than ever have been shut out of the housing market and an entire generation is losing hope in the dream of home ownership.
How could young people be expected to afford a down payment when British Columbia has the highest cost of living in Canada and the cost of everything from gas to groceries continues to soar?
To make housing more affordable we need to make it less expensive — that’s why BC United has unveiled the first plank in our bold plan to fix housing in British Columbia.
A BC United government will establish a new rent-to-own program that will require developers to set aside 15 percent of homes for first-time buyers. Instead of paying rent to a landlord, these buyers will pay market rent for three years with 100 percent of the payments being applied towards their down payment. This is a common sense measure that will help renters become homeowners.
BC United will also eliminate the Property Transfer Tax on properties valued up to $1 million for first-time buyers, saving people up to $18,000.
Lastly, we will offer nonprofit and market homebuilders 99-year leases on unused public land for one dollar per year, and eliminate the PST on all new residential construction, making it cheaper to build more homes and passing few costs on to buyers.
To make the dream of homeownership a reality for British Columbians we need to reduce costs and build the homes people need.
United, we can fix housing in B.C.
Lorne Doerkson is the MLA for Cariboo Chilcotin
READ MORE: MLA’S CORNER: Homeless Count Skyrockets
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