December 22nd - 2015

Ontario government close to allowing doubling of land transfer taxes

The Ontario government has indicated it will make home buying even harder by giving all municipalities authority to levy a municipal land transfer tax (MLTT).

Municipal Land Transfer Tax

The Ontario government has indicated it will make home buying even harder by giving all municipalities authority to levy a municipal land transfer tax (MLTT).

MLTT buttonThe Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has indicated that it is going to make buying a home even harder by giving every municipality, province-wide, the power to charge a Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT), a change that will double the land transfer taxes consumers have to pay on their next home.

The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) encourages all Ontarians to visit www.donttaxmydream.ca to learn more about the negative impact of the MLTT and stop this tax from spreading province-wide.

“Ontario home buyers are already charged a provincial land transfer tax, so by adding a municipal tax, the government is essentially doubling the tax burden on Ontario families,” said Patricia Verge, president of OREA. “If the Ontario government follows through with this plan, home buyers will be forced to pay $10,000 in total land transfer taxes on the average-priced home in Ontario, starting as early as next year.”

"...This news indicates that the province is one step closer to approving MLTT powers for all Ontario municipalities."

Broken commitment doubles tax on home buyers

The provincial government recently undertook a public consultation on changes to the Municipal Act. The period for public comment was open until Oct. 31. Despite this, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing indicated that it wants to move ahead with granting municipalities across the province the ability to impose a municipal land transfer tax -- disregarding views expressed by Ontarians during this important public process. Although no decisions have been announced by the government, this news indicates that the province is one step closer to approving MLTT powers for all Ontario municipalities.

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Verge said that, “The Ontario Liberals wrote to us in May 2014, during the election, stating that ‘they had no plans to extend these powers to [other] municipalities’. On behalf of home buyers, we want them to remain good on this election promise, and that means Ontarians need to send a strong message that the government must rethink its plan to double the land transfer tax burden on home buyers.”

In 2008, the City of Toronto put an MLTT in place after the Ontario government extended to it the power to do so two years earlier. The result has been a significant negative impact on jobs and the economy. Over five years, it is estimated that 38,227 housing transactions did not occur in Toronto because of the MLTT. With every home transaction generating $55,000 in consumer spending on things like renovations, furniture, appliances and fees to professionals, the MLTT is estimated to have cost the City of Toronto $2.3 billion in lost economic activity and 15,000 jobs. This outcome would be multiplied across Ontario if the government moves ahead with its plans.

Ontarians do not support new tax

A new Ipsos Reid poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Ontarians outside of Toronto (89 per cent) oppose a new MLTT charged on home purchases in their area. Respondents agreed that if a new land transfer tax were put in place, it would limit their ability to afford a home (77 per cent) and they would likely have to delay a purchase (75 per cent). Ontarians agreed (77 per cent) that the government should do all it can to help families own their own home.

For more information, visit www.donttaxmydream.ca.

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Jean-Adrien Delicano

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