Breaking News: The government will not give municipalities the ability to charge a municipal land tr

BREAKING NEWS from OREA’s President, Patricia Verge….

It gives me great pleasure today to inform you that this morning, Ted McMeekin, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, informed the legislature that the government will not give municipalities the ability to charge a municipal land transfer tax (MLTT).

In short, the government has listened to our campaign and agreed that the MLTT was the wrong tax for Ontario municipalities. In doing so,you, Ontario REALTORS®, have helped stop one of the largest tax increases on home ownership in a generation. It is one of the biggest government relations wins in our association’s history. Congratulations everyone!

This positive outcome could not have been accomplished if it were not for the hard work of OREA volunteers, staff and our local boards. Every email, meeting, media interview and social media post has made a difference on this issue. It’s an example of how important engaged and coordinated government relations is to our industry. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for all your contributions to our campaign.

I encourage you to share this excellent news and post about it on social media. We owe the Minister and his government a tremendous amount of gratitude and thanks for their support on this issue. Please take a moment and send a note to your local MPP.

Again, congratulations everyone and especially to OREA’s government relations team who has worked exceptionally hard to make this day happen.

Following is a copy of the Minister’s statement:

Our government has a strong record of supporting Ontario 444 municipalities. We believe it抯 important to have a good working relationship with our municipal partners to ensure that they are able to provide the services their communities need. This year alone, as a result of the combination of provincial uploads and other supports, Ontario’s municipalities are receiving a combined benefit of more than $3.7 billion.

My job as Minister is to be a voice for our municipal partners. And that means listening carefully to our partners and stakeholders. That’s why, following every municipal election, the province undertakes a regular review of the Municipal Act. We consulted with a wide range of stakeholders during the Municipal Act review period that ended on October 31.

While we are currently reviewing the feedback from our partners, it is clear is that there has been no call for a Municipal Land Transfer Tax. I was pleased to communicate our government’s position today, that other than in Toronto, where the power already exists, our government will not be extending Municipal Land Transfer Tax powers to other Ontario municipalities.

Questions?

If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Thornton, OREA’s Director of Government Relations at mthornton@orea.com or 416-385-6624.