Building & Industry News
CRD DCCs Put Housing Infrastructure Funds at Risk
The CRD is considering adding Development Cost Charges (DCC) up to $9,000 per new home for a proposed water supply project. If the CRD launches the DCCs, it may disqualify CRD municipalities from applying for the federal government's recently launched Canada Housing...
Housing Starts Decline 16% in Greater Victoria
Greater Victoria’s year-to-date housing starts are down 16% according to CMHC. From January to October, housing starts were 3,359 vs 3,885 during the same period in 2023. The decline in British Columbia is 11% at 33,463 new homes this year vs 37,662 last year. This is...
Time to Remove GST and PTT From Housing
Last week, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre promised to eliminate the GST on new homes sold for under $1 million if his party wins the next federal election. The savings on a $950,000 home would be $47,500 GST – a tax that’s supposed to be a consumption tax, not a...
Time to Remove GST From Housing
It has taken awhile, but finally a Canadian politician has suggested a partial step to end housing as an endless, federal government cash machine. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has promised to eliminate the GST on new homes sold for under $1 million if his...
New BC Govt Must Deliver on Housing Affordability
In the aftermath of the BC election, there are key housing policies that need implementation, regardless of which party ends up governing. While each of the parties proposed their solutions for housing supply and affordability, the following must be addressed: A cap...
Greater Victoria Housing Starts Decline 3%
Greater Victoria’s year-to-date housing starts are down 3% according to CMHC. From January to September, housing starts were 3,066 vs 3,153 during the same period last year. The decline in British Columbia is 8% at 29,585 new homes this year vs 32,054 last year. This...
Govt Says Renovate to Demolish or Pay $1.3 Million
A developer has gone to court over a $1.3 million vacancy tax charged because they did not renovate two toxic, rat-infested homes scheduled for demolition in Vancouver. This underlines the absurdity, unfairness and rising costs of building homes in British Columbia....
BC’s Alarming Erosion of Housing Affordability and Property Rights
The Canadian Real Estate Association reports BC has the highest average home price at $939,972 which is $290,876 more than the average price in Canada. The BC government charges a Property Transfer Tax (PTT) of $16,795 to do a simple land title transfer on the...
2024 CARE Awards Celebrate Projects and People
VRBA announced the Gold winners for our 33rd annual Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence (CARE) Awards of Vancouver Island. Fifty-seven awards were presented at the Fairmont Empress Hotel attended by 280 builders, designers, trades and suppliers -...
2024 CARE AWARDS SHOWCASE GOLD-WINNING PROJECTS
VICTORIA – The Victoria Residential Builders Association announced the Gold winners at the 2024 Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence (CARE) Awards of Vancouver Island held Friday, September 27th at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. (The news release is...