The New Brunswick government faces growing calls to remove the provincial sales tax from affordable housing builds.
It is a move some other provinces have already made in an effort to incentivize affordable development.
The Opposition Liberals, which introduced a motion in the legislature back in March, renewed their calls last week.
“New Brunswick is facing an affordable housing crisis, and our builds are not keeping up with our neighbours in Nova Scotia and P.E.I.,” Leader Susan Holt said in a news release.
“At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, and homelessness numbers are higher than ever, Minister Green and the premier should be doing everything they can to incentivize affordable development.”
Housing Critic Richard Losier said removing the provincial sales tax would go a long way in incentivizing affordable development as developers face rising material costs and property taxes.
Meanwhile, the Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton chambers of commerce wrote a joint letter to the premier last week calling for immediate provincial action to spur housing development.
Among their suggestions, they want the province to eliminate the provincial portion of taxes on new multi-unit construction.
