Dear Editor:
I wonder how many people who get a new job far from their current home, requiring long commutes, won’t move closer because of a huge property transfer tax?
For those moving significantly closer to work, such a tax in most cases should be exempt. Gas is cheap compared to the tax money lost on a move. More and more children don’t attend their local neighbourhood schools, with private schools highly subsidized through government tax revenue.
Parents are driving their kids more and more to (what they consider to be) the best schools, and related activities, frequently far from their homes.
People, too, are driven long distances for ever-better, yet more costly, specialized health services at non-local hospitals. Teachers and hospital workers drive long distances too.
In this highly competitive real-estate market, with the high cost of moving, it is just too overwhelming to move to a place closer, so people just don’t, and particularly seniors.
On the North Shore alone there are tens of thousands of empty-nester bedrooms in million-dollar homes, and yet the government encourages people to stay in them through property tax deferral and assistance, even home improvements. There should be some incentive to make those bedrooms available and free up supply to cope with new family demand.
There are new Seaspan shipyard workers coming and workers who service our aging population who want a home for their families but must commute over ever-more congested bridges and roads.
All levels of government need to take a hard look at how their tax policies are triggering even more driving, paralyzing everyone in congestion.
Wayne Liddle
North Vancouver
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