Both West Kelowna and now the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) have asked the B.C. government not to impose the new speculation tax in their regions, with the latter saying that 鈥渋n its current form, [the tax] should be eliminated.鈥�
First West Kelowna鈥檚 mayor Doug Findlater announced that councillors had voted unanimously to ask the province for an exemption from the 2 per cent annual tax on empty investment or vacation properties, and the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce to make the same request. The RDN board then followed suit with a this week.
The statement cites board director Bill Veenhof as saying, 鈥淭he RDN strongly and fully supports the provincial government's goal of improving housing affordability鈥� The RDN is concerned that the Speculation Tax is not the most appropriate approach to addressing this issue and could actually work against our continued efforts to develop more affordable housing.鈥�
In response to the imposition of the tax on owners of recreational properties in the region, he added, 鈥淭hese people are not speculators. They are important members of our communities. Families who visit year after year, supporting local businesses, paying their fair share of property taxes, and investing in our tourism-based economy. They are part of our community mosaic, they volunteer, they are our friends and many go on to retire here.鈥�
The RDN said that by applying the tax within its borders but not to neighbouring areas such as the Cowichan, Comox and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts, it would put the Nanaimo area at a competitive disadvantage.
The statement concluded, 鈥淭he RDN has requested a meeting with the [finance] Minister to have a fulsome discussion about how this tax will affect housing affordability on 麻豆传媒映画Island and in British Columbia and looks forward to collaboratively working with the Province to find solutions鈥�. As it stands, the solutions do not include the proposed Speculation Tax鈥�. The RDN Board of Directors unanimously agreed to object to the Speculation Tax in any form, in any region or municipality in B.C. According to Director Veenhof, 鈥楾he unintended consequences of this tax far outweigh the benefits and in its current form, it should be eliminated altogether.鈥欌��
The districts鈥� objections to the tax follow a huge outcry among owners of B.C. vacation and investment properties, both from inside and outside the province. A has been gaining steam and as of March 16 had more than 11,100 signatures.
An carried out after the B.C. Budget found that four in five British Columbians were in favour of the planned new real estate tax measures, including the annual speculation tax and the .
