Premier David Eby and Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, have released the following statement in advance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:

On National Housing Day, the Province is releasing data that shows the speculation and vacancy tax (SVT) continues to turn empty units into homes and support the creation of additional affordable housing.

The first-of-its-kind Land Owner Transparency Registry is a step closer to supporting transparency in B.C.’s real estate market with a November deadline for pre-existing owners to file.

Grace Lore, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, has released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day:  

British Columbia is well-positioned to support people through emerging global economic headwinds with preliminary numbers showing an improved fiscal forecast.

The Province’s year-end Public Accounts show B.C. had a strong fiscal result last year, bolstered by a faster-than-expected economic recovery as government made record investments to support British Columbians.

The expansion of the Speculation and Vacancy Tax will help eliminate speculative real estate practices and turn empty units into homes for people in additional communities in B.C. struggling with housing affordability.

British Columbia’s continued stable credit ratings show that key stakeholders in the financial community validate the Province’s financial plan for investing in the services people need and building a strong, sustainable future for B.C.

B.C.’s speculation and vacancy tax (SVT) helped make homes more affordable in the SVT areas of the province, based on independent analysis by Tsur Somerville and Jake Wetzel.