TIME FOR MINISTER TO SHOW IF HE SUPPORTS HOME OWNERSHIP: CLARK

(QUEEN’S PARK) – With the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing determined to usher in a massive tax grab on new home sales, Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark continued his efforts to give would-be home buyers a break.

A day after tabling his Private Members Motion against the Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT), Clark called on Minister Ted McMeekin to prove he supports young families dreaming of owning a home by voting in favour of his motion on December 3.

“Ontarians are sick and tired that the answer to every question facing this government is to invent a new tax,” Clark stated during Question Period this morning. “A carbon tax, commuter tax, beer tax, pension tax – it all adds up to tax increases of $30.8 billion on their watch.”

Clark tabled his motion after it was revealed the government is planning to amend the Municipal Act to enable all municipalities to implement their own MLTT in addition to the provincial land transfer tax.

Allowing municipalities to charge an MLTT would double the amount of land transfer taxes due at closing on the average home sold in Ontario to more than $10,000.

In addition to putting a new home out of reach for families who can’t afford the additional $5,000 to pay the MLTT, it’s estimated the new tax would cost the Ontario economy $2.3 billion and nearly 15,000 lost jobs.

“Just because this Minister has no idea how to manage the issues being raised by municipalities doesn’t give him the right to download the burden onto the backs of hard-working, young families,” said Clark.

“Either the Minister believes they should have the same ability as their parents and grandparents to save for their own home, or he doesn’t.”