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Ottawa: Ban on purchases by foreigners residential property in Canada A move aimed at providing more homes to local people facing a housing shortage came into effect on Sunday.
There are several exceptions to the Act that allow individuals such as refugees and permanent residents to buy homes who are not citizens.
In late December, Ottawa also clarified that the ban would only apply to city residences and not recreational properties such as summer cottages.
The temporary two-year measure was proposed by the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau During the 2021 election campaign when rising prices put home ownership out of reach for many Canadians.
“The desirability of Canadian homes is attracting profiteers, wealthy corporations and foreign investors,” his Liberal Party said in its election issue at the time.
“This is leading to a real problem of unused and vacant housing, rampant speculation and skyrocketing prices. Homes are for people, not investors.”
Following their 2021 election victory, the Liberals quietly enacted the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act.
major markets like Vancouver And toronto Taxes have also been introduced on non-residents and vacant houses.
In recent days though, the country’s real estate market has cooled for sellers as mortgage rates followed the Bank of Canada’s accommodative monetary policy to rein in inflation.
According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, median home prices have fallen from a peak of more than $800,000 (US$590,000) in early 2022 to just over $630,000 (US$465,000) last month.
Many experts have also said that a ban on foreign buyers – who account for less than five per cent of home ownership in Canada according to the National Statistics Agency – will not have the desired effect of making homes more affordable.
Rather they point to the need for more housing construction to meet demand.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – the national housing agency – said in a June report that some 19 million housing units will be needed by 2030.
That means 5.8 million new homes would have to be built, or 3.5 million more, to meet that demand.
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