Vancouver, B.C.: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is sounding the alarm after obtaining documents describing efforts to introduce a new tax on homeowners that see their neighbourhoods rezoned.  

“Increasing taxes on homes that are rezoned by their municipalities will only make life harder for people trying to keep a roof over their head,” said Carson Binda, B.C. director for the CTF. “Taxes don’t make homes or anything else more affordable.” 

The documents were authored by Generation Squeeze, an advocacy organisation out of the University of British Columbia. The organisation sent an analysis of B.C.’s housing action plan to members of the legislative assembly in Victoria last week, calling for the introduction of a new tax on homes that are rezoned. 

The document calls for the introduction of a new tax which would impact homeowners when their property is rezoned to allow for more densification. 

The CTF opposes this new proposed tax on homes. 

“Politicians and academics like to muse about raising taxes, until it’s time to show taxpayers the bill,” said Binda. “The least they could do is tell taxpayers how much this will cost them.”

The documents didn’t provide numbers or indicate who would be hit with the proposed new tax, beyond “single-family homeowners” in general. It also failed to lay out what form the new tax would take or when it should be enacted.   

In 2022, Generation Squeeze received $200,000 in taxpayer’s money from the CMHC to publish a report that recommended going after “housing wealth windfalls gained by many home owners while they sleep and watch TV.” Uproar from taxpayers forced CMHC to publicly distance itself from the proposals. 

“Premier David Eby needs to reassure taxpayers struggling with crippling costs of housing that more tax-hikes aren’t on the horizon,” said Binda. “You build more homes by swinging hammers, not hiking taxes.”  

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