Forcing B.C. strata councils to remove restrictions on rentals is part of the B.C. NDP government’s speculation tax that is taking effect this year, opposition critics say.

The move was not formally announced, but guidelines for the imposition of the vacant home tax say strata councils won’t be able to restrict rentals after 2019. B.C. Liberal finance critic Shirley Bond said the change was recommended last year by the government’s rental housing task force, and “just happens to coincide with the tax taking effect.

“It certainly looks like the NDP have been planning all along to eliminate the rental restriction powers of strata councils,” Bond said Wednesday. “The NDP have been creating tax policy on the fly and the so-called speculation tax is a perfect example of that. It looks like strata property owners are next on the hit list.”

 

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