BC Budget 2016 | Improving Housing Affordability

Marci • February 17, 2016

For Immediate Release: Backgrounder Feb 16, 2016. BC Balanced Budget 2016.

New Measures Aim To Improve Housing Affordability

Newly built homes priced up to $750,000 will be fully exempt from the property transfer tax when bought by Canadian citizens or permanent residents as a principal residence and lived-in for a full year. The measure aims to assist purchasers and help stimulate the construction of moderately priced homes. The exemption will save a purchaser up to $13,000, and provide an estimated $75 million in property transfer tax relief for new construction in 2016-17.

Partial exemptions are available for new housing valued up to $800,000. Newly constructed housing eligible for the exemption includes the first purchase of a new housing unit or a newly subdivided unit.

Those who buy land and build homes to be used as their principal residence can also apply to receive a refund of property transfer tax rather than an exemption at the time of registration, if they complete construction and move in within a year of purchase.

The program will be available to buyers regardless of how long they have lived in British Columbia, meaning those who move to B.C. to take jobs, start companies and build their lives here will also benefit. The exemption will be available to first-time buyers and previous property owners alike.

The New Housing exemption will be largely funded by increasing the property transfer tax rate to 3% on the portion of fair market value over $2 million. The 1% rate on the first $200,000 of property value and the 2% rate on the value of a property between $200,000 and $2 million continue to apply. The new higher rate is expected to raise an additional $75 million each year – the approximate cost of the New Housing exemption.

Creating new housing supply is critical to improving housing affordability in B.C.’s real estate market. Relatively high housing prices in B.C., and particularly in the Lower Mainland, are driven by increased demand that has resulted from B.C.’s economic and population growth, as well as constrained geography and a lack of available land. The New Housing exemption is expected to benefit owners of about 22,000 new homes in 2016, many of which will be constructed in the Vancouver area.

Investments in Affordable Housing

Budget 2016 also includes measures to provide more affordable housing options for lower-income earners. Capital spending of $355 million over five years will support the construction or renovation of more than 2,000 affordable housing units in communities across the province.

The Province also continues to work in collaboration with other levels of government to support British Columbians’ ability to buy or rent at prices they can afford. Through the Community Partnership Initiatives program, BC Housing partners with municipalities, non-profit societies and other community-based organizations to create affordable housing. The program arranges construction or long-term financing for non-profit societies, connects stakeholders through partnership referrals and provides advice.

Developing Better Data on Cost Drivers

Proposed changes to the Property Transfer Tax Act will authorize government to collect new information from owners when they register their property.

  • Purchasers will be required to identify themselves as Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • Individual transferees who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents will be required to disclose their citizenship.
  • Corporations will be required to disclose their directors’ citizenship.
  • Transferees will also be required to disclose whether or not they are holding the land as bare trustees when they register and provide information on the settlor and beneficiaries of the bare trust.

Citizenship disclosure was required with land transfers until 1998. These changes will generate data that will allow government to monitor the volume of foreign investment and use of bare trusts and assess what effect, if any, they have on pricing.

Balancing supply and demand in an era of strong net in-migration from elsewhere in Canada and around the world requires a new focus on the efficient support of new housing supply at as low a cost as possible. BC Housing will conduct a study on the key factors affecting housing affordability in British Columbia, which may then contribute to policy-making across all levels of government.

Government is also exploring ways to make the components of the cost of new housing more transparent to home buyers, such as local government costs and fees. The Province urges municipal leaders and regional directors, who are responsible for planning, zoning and development regulation, to use the broader tools at their disposal to support the Province’s efforts and further the creation of new housing supply.

Housing markets in the Vancouver area have historically been expensive due to the pressures of supply and demand. The population of Greater Vancouver in particular has increased 70% since the mid-1980s, compared to 35% in the rest of Canada, and B.C. economic growth has averaged 2.6% annually since 2001, compared to 1.9% in the rest of Canada. The 20-year trend of declining mortgage rates has made it easier for buyers to carry their mortgage costs.

With increasing demand and restricted supply of single-family properties, prices for single family homes in most areas of Greater Vancouver have increased between 45% and 70% over the past five years, while prices for multi-family homes have increased between 15% and 40%.

Any long-term mitigation of housing prices and housing affordability in the Lower Mainland must address adequate supply of affordable new construction, particularly multi-family housing.

Without an increase in housing supply, there will simply be more buyers competing in the same market, ultimately driving prices even higher. Increased densification is a tool local governments can use to promote the construction of affordably priced housing and offset the factors driving prices, such as low interest rates, economic activity, rising population due to in-migration, and in the Lower Mainland especially, a constrained geography

Here is a copy of the the highlights from Balanced Budget 2016.

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Big News for First-Time Home Buyers: GST Relief Is Here!

By Marci Deane • May 28, 2025
Buying your first home just got a little easier — and a lot less expensive — thanks to a major new government announcement made on May 27, 2025. If you're thinking about purchasing a newly built home or condo, here's what you need to know (in plain English). What’s the Big Change? The Government of Canada is introducing a new GST rebate just for First-Time Home Buyers (FTHB) : 100% GST rebate on new homes up to $1 million A partial GST rebate for homes between $1 million and $1.5 million No rebate for homes priced $1.5 million or more 💥 Translation: You could save up to $50,000 in taxes on a new build — serious money back in your pocket! What Types of Homes Qualify? The rebate applies to: New homes or condos purchased from a builder Owner-built homes (yep, if you're building yourself!) Co-op housing units (if you're buying shares in a housing co-op) Who Qualifies as a First-Time Buyer? You’re considered a First-Time Home Buyer if: You're 18 or older A Canadian citizen or permanent resident You (or your spouse/common-law partner) haven’t owned a home in the last 4 years — anywhere in the world When Does This Start? To qualify, your purchase contract signed or construction must start on or after May 27, 2025 , and: Construction must begin before 2031 Homes must be substantially completed before 2036 Buyers with contracts signed prior to May 27, 2025 will NOT qualify Some Fine Print You Should Know There are a few limits: You can only claim this once in your lifetime If your spouse or partner already used it , you can’t You won’t qualify if the original agreement to buy was signed before May 27, 2025 (Yes, I already said that but it bears repeating!!) It must be your primary residence Why This Is a Game Changer Let’s be real — saving up for a home is hard enough , especially in today’s market. This new GST rebate is a massive win for first-time buyers and a big push to get more homes built across Canada. ✔️ Less tax ✔️ More homes ✔️ A major step toward affordable ownership 📌 Want the Full Details? You can read the full government announcement right here . Need help understanding this or to get pre-approved, I am here to help. marci@askmarci.ca

How Employment Status Impacts Your Mortgage Application

By Marci Deane • May 28, 2025
Chances are if you’re applying for a mortgage, you feel confident about the state of your current employment or your ability to find a similar position if you need to. However, your actual employment status probably means more to the lender than you might think. You see, to a lender, your employment status is a strong indicator of your employer’s commitment to your continued employment. So, regardless of how you feel about your position, it’s what can be proven on paper that matters most. Let’s walk through some of the common ways lenders can look at employment status. Permanent Employment The gold star of employment. If your employer has made you a permanent employee, it means that your position is as secure as any position can be. When a lender sees permanent status (passed probation), it gives them the confidence that you’re valuable to the company and that they can rely on your income. Probationary Period Despite the quality of your job, if you’ve only been with the company for a short while, you’ll be required to prove that you’ve passed any probationary period. Although most probationary periods are typically 3-6 months, they can be longer. You might now even be aware that you’re under probation. The lender will want to make sure that you’re not under a probationary period because your employment can be terminated without any cause while under probation. Once you’ve made it through your initial evaluation, the lender will be more confident in your employment status. Now, it’s not the length of time with the employer that the lender is scrutinizing; instead, it’s the status of your probation. So if you’ve only been with a company for one month, but you’ve been working with them as a contractor for a few years, and they’re willing to waive the probationary period based on a previous relationship, that should give the lender all the confidence they need. We’ll have to get that documented. Parental Leave Suppose you’re currently on, planning to be on, or just about to be done a parental leave, regardless of the income you’re now collecting, as long as you have an employment letter that outlines your guaranteed return to work position (and date). In that case, you can use your return to work income to qualify on your mortgage application. It’s not the parental leave that the lender has issues with; it’s the ability you have to return to the position you left. Term Contracts Term contracts are hands down the most ambiguous and misunderstood employment status as it’s usually well-qualified and educated individuals who are working excellent jobs with no documented proof of future employment. A term contract indicates that you have a start date and an end date, and you are paid a specific amount for that specified amount of time. Unfortunately, the lack of stability here is not a lot for a lender to go on when evaluating your long-term ability to repay your mortgage. So to qualify income on a term contract, you want to establish the income you’ve received for at least two years. However, sometimes lenders like to see that your contract has been renewed at least once before considering it as income towards your mortgage application. In summary If you’ve recently changed jobs or are thinking about making a career change, and qualifying for a mortgage is on the horizon, or if you have any questions at all, please connect anytime. We can work through the details together and make sure you have a plan in place. It would be a pleasure to work with you!

Is There A Difference Between A Deposit And Downpayment

By Marci Deane • May 21, 2025
If you’re new to the home buying process, it’s easy to get confused by some of the terms used. The purpose of this article is to clear up any confusion between the deposit and downpayment. What is a deposit? The deposit is the money included with a purchase contract as a sign of good faith when you offer to purchase a property. It’s the “consideration” that helps make up the contract and binds you to the agreement. Typically, you include a certified cheque or a bank draft that your real estate brokerage holds while negotiations are finalized when you offer to purchase a property. If your offer is accepted, your deposit is held in your Realtor’s trust account. If your offer is accepted and you commit to buying the property, your deposit is transferred to the lawyer’s trust account and included in your downpayment. If you aren’t able to reach an agreement, the deposit is refunded to you. However, if you commit to buying the property and don’t complete the transaction, your deposit could be forfeit to the seller. Your deposit goes ahead of the downpayment but makes up part of the downpayment. The amount you put forward as a deposit when negotiating the terms of a purchase contract is arbitrary, meaning there is no predefined or standard amount. Instead, it’s best to discuss this with your real estate professional as your deposit can be a negotiating factor in and of itself. A larger deposit may give you a better chance of having your offer accepted in a competitive situation. It also puts you on the hook for more if something changes down the line and you cannot complete the purchase. What is a downpayment? Your downpayment refers to the initial payment you make when buying a property through mortgage financing. In Canada, the minimum downpayment amount is 5%, as lenders can only lend up to 95% of the property’s value. Securing mortgage financing with anything less than 20% down is only made possible through mortgage default insurance. You can source your downpayment from your resources, the sale of a property, an RRSP, a gift from a family member, or borrowed funds. Example scenario Let’s say that you are looking to purchase a property worth $400k. You’re planning on making a downpayment of 10% or $40k. When you make the initial offer to buy the property, you put forward $10k as a deposit your real estate brokerage holds in their trust account. If everything checks out with the home inspection and you’re satisfied with financing, you can remove all conditions. Your $10k deposit is transferred to the lawyer’s trust account, where will add the remaining $30k for the downpayment. With your $40k downpayment made, once you sign the mortgage documents and cover the legal and closing costs, the lender will forward the remaining 90% in the form of a mortgage registered to your title, and you have officially purchased the property! If you have any questions about the difference between the deposit and the downpayment or any other mortgage terms, please connect anytime. It would be a pleasure to work with you.