401-19 Duncan St, Toronto, ON M5H 3H1 | P: 1 (800) 903-6453 | F: (416) 861-9593 | http://www.ontariopc.com
September 28, 2011
Brampton Real Estate Board
10-35 Van Kirk Drive
Brampton, ON L7A 1A5
Dear Members of the Brampton Real Estate Board,
Thank you for your survey about the issues facing home owners in Ontario and for the
opportunity to tell you about the ways changebook will support and protect home ownership.
I have long championed the Canadian value of home ownership. As Premier, I will continue to make it a priority.
I believe a home is a place of comfort and security, not a commodity to be taxed. It’s a place to raise our children, and it is also the single biggest investment most of us will make in our lifetime.
As families build equity in their homes, that investment triggers other economic activity through renovations, additions, or even the purchase of a new home. Sadly, the dream of home ownership is slipping away from many young families.
On the same day Dalton McGuinty put the 8% HST tax grab on the price of new homes, home renovations, real estate commissions, moving costs, home inspections, appraisals, and a host of other services, he also had the audacity to sneak in thousands of eco taxes on the items we use around the house – on everything from batteries to fire extinguishers.
Dalton McGuinty has gotten so used to new taxes, he no longer sees how hard it is on people. I was recently greeted at a community BBQ by a senior named Jim. Jim told me that he and his wife are on the brink of having to put their family home of 37 years up for sale, because they can no longer afford to keep up with the rising costs of living – especially skyrocketing hydro bills.
In addition to the HST on hydro and home heating, Dalton McGuinty’s smart meter tax machines have made the air conditioning more expensive, a load of laundry more expensive, and turning on the TV more expensive. Jim told me he is fed up with all of these taxes, and I don’t blame him.
I believe Ontario seniors and families deserve better.
To make life more affordable for home owners, we’re going to scrap those sneaky eco taxes and leave more money in the household budget.
When it comes to the household essentials, we’re going to provide relief and remove the HST from home hydro and heating bills. We’ll also take the Debt Retirement Charge off of residential hydro bills. Taken together, our home energy relief measures will make the costs of homeownership more affordable and give Ontario families $275 in yearly relief from rising energy bills.
And to leave more money for the purchase of a new house, condo, or home renovation, we will lower the overall tax burden on middle-class families by reducing income taxes by 5% on the first $75,000 in taxable income, saving a middle-class taxpayer $258 each year. For couples, we will change the tax system to allow them to share up to $50,000 of their income for tax purposes, which could save a family up to $1,400 per year in income taxes.
Buying a home is the biggest investment most families will ever make. And for all the sacrificing and saving that families do to afford a home, I believe they deserve a government that will take decisive action to protect them when they go to purchase a home. That is why we will establish a registry to allow realtors and future homeowners to know whether or not a property was ever used as a grow op or meth lab.
These are just some of the ways we’re proposing to make home ownership more affordable. To read more about the change we’re proposing for Ontario families, I encourage you to visit www.changebook.ca
Sincerely,
Tim Hudak
Ontario PC Leader
Brampton Real Estate Board 