BC is “scrambling a bit” over housing policy says academics

British Columbia will begin debating measures to curb the fast-rising property prices in the province Monday. A key proposal is to introduce a vacant property tax in the City of Vancouver.

Hamish Telford, political science professor at the University of the Fraser Valley says that it appears that officials may be reluctant to act as many of the Liberal party’s supporters live outside the Lower Mainland.

“They do appear to be scrambling a little bit, which suggests that they feel, or they fear, they have fallen behind public opinion on this,” he told the Globe and Mail.

The legislature will decide if Vancouver’s charter should be changed to allow a tax on those properties that are left empty. The city’s mayor has suggested that the council will take measures against the practice even without provincial backing.
 

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