Vancouver tax has increased xenophobia says real estate author

Introducing the 15 per cent sales tax in Vancouver has led to a rise in racist abuse according to author and former Urban Development Institute director David Allison.

Writing for the UDI, Allison says that as a Vancouverite he is “ashamed” at how some in the city are behaving. “The tax seems to have encouraged a crazy spike in racism, mostly targeting Asians,” he writes.

Allison says that, apart from much of the foreign investment in Vancouver’s housing is not from Asia, the city’s diversity should be celebrated and that xenophobic behaviour makes it harder to have the debate on foreign investment.

In conclusion, he says the real estate industry has a “moral duty” to challenge the xenophobic views that he says are rising following the new tax.

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