COLUMN: On parliament hill – Axe the tax on new home sales

As the scandal-plagued Liberals continue their infighting, Conservatives are listening to Canadians.

One of the main concerns we hear from Canadians is a lack of affordable housing across the country.

Back in 2015, when Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, it took about 39 percent of the median pre-tax household income to cover home ownership costs—already a challenge for many families. Now, it takes nearly 60 percent or two thirds of a family’s income. This is both unsustainable and unacceptable.

The average home price in Canada has ballooned to over $700,000, with homes in Toronto and Vancouver averaging around $1.5 million.

It used to take Canadians 25 years to pay off a mortgage. Now, it takes 25 years to save up a down payment.

Eighty percent of Canadians tell pollsters homeownership is only for the very rich, and many young people have given up on the dream of ever owning a home.

After nine years of Liberals and their NDP enablers, the situation is so bad that there are now 1,400 homeless encampments in Ontario alone. Nurses and carpenters—people who earn decent incomes—are reduced to sleeping in their cars.

This shouldn’t be the case for anyone in Canada.

That’s why, last week, our leader, Pierre Poilievre, announced a Conservative Government would axe the GST on new homes valued at under $1 million.

Across the country, taxes and government fees add unnecessary costs to homebuyers. The federal government takes the biggest share of these taxes—in some provinces 39 percent of the total taxes on a new home go to politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa.

Our common sense plan will save $40,000, or $2,200/year in mortgage payments on a $800,000 house.

This tax cut could spark an extra 30,000 homes being built every year, increasing supply as well as generating more income for construction workers and businesses.

Unlike the Liberals, Conservatives also have a plan for how we will pay for this program.

Common Sense Conservatives will fund this big homebuyers’ tax cut by eliminating bureaucratic programs—like the failed $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund—which have built bureaucracy but no homes.

Conservatives are also calling on provincial premiers to match this move by eliminating the PST as well.

If Canada’s Premiers agree to match the commonsense sales tax cut, Canadian homebuyers will save tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of a new home, and even more affordable new homes can be built for Canadian families.

Likewise, municipalities that get affordable homes built will receive a building bonus, while those who do not will see their federal funding cut.

Conservatives have also committed to re-purposing surplus federal land and buildings for affordable housing.

As the Trudeau Liberals continue to self-destruct, Canada’s Conservatives are offering common sense solutions.

Only Common Sense Conservatives will bring home Canada’s promise: that hard work earns a powerful paycheque that buys affordable food and homes in safe neighbourhoods.

Let’s bring it home!