Thoughts on BC Politics and More

... the idea behind the Speculation Tax is admirable. It aims to increase rental housing supply and ensure that foreign and out-of-province speculators are taxed fairly. But there are legal problems with the Speculation Tax Declaration. One is that it is an example of reverse onus. Under the law, reverse onus provisions challenge the presumption of innocence, a fundamental principle in criminal law. If I don’t fill out the form, I’m assumed to be guilty of the Speculation and Vacancy Tax Declaration (2019) ... CLICK HERE for the full story

British Columbians now account for almost half the people paying the BC NDP government’s speculation tax, as the tax continues its metamorphosis from a policy intended to penalize foreign buyers into one that mainly targets locals. Roughly 44 per cent of all the people hit by the speculation and vacancy tax in 2022 were B.C. residents, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Finance this month. That jumps to 69 per cent when you add in Canadian owners from other provinces.  This was not the original target when it was introduced in 2017 ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Every so often you need to point out something so obvious it seems silly to even say. But here we go: You don’t make homes cheaper by hiking taxes. British Columbia is expanding its speculation tax to 13 new municipalities next year. If the provincial government wants to tackle unaffordable home prices, that’s a big leap in the wrong direction. With this change, the government is applying the tax-take to 59 communities in B.C. That will hurt tourism as families are forced to offload their summer homes on the island, or cottages in the interior ... CLICK HERE for the full commentary

To say Kamloops South Thompson MLA Todd Stone was not been impressed with recent announcements by Premier John Horgan’s NDP government, at the just ended Union of BC Municipalities convention, would be putting it mildly. On yesterday final day, Stone applauded the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) for standing their ground and demanding proper consultation and respect from the provincial government. Kamloops South South Thompson MLA Todd Stone “ Mayors and councillors from across the province took a stand and clearly said that they are fed up with empty promises and NDP arrogance ,” said Stone. “ The resolutions passed at UBCM this week show that local governments want John Horgan and the NDP to stop ignoring the concerns of local communities. It is time for them to start listening to local governments .” Commenting on concerns to UBCM representatives from communities around the province, MLA Stone indicated there were calls for John Horgan and the NDP t...