Richard Silver

Public Support for Toronto Land Transfer Tax Repeal is Resilient, According to Poll

Toronto, December 6, 2011 –REALTORS® will be making a presentation on Wednesday December 7 to the City of Toronto’s Budget Committee, and will be providing City Council with results of a recent poll showing that, even after recent difficult debates on the future of City services, Torontonians continue to want fiscal reform at City Hall, including the repeal of the Toronto Land Transfer Tax and concessions from the City’s unions. The poll was conducted by Ipsos Reid for the Toronto Real...Continue Reading...

REALTORS® Remind City Council that Land Transfer Tax is Unpredictable Revenue Stream

 TORONTO, October 14, 2011 -- In a letter to Mayor Ford and City Councillors, the Toronto Real Estate Board is reminding City Council that the Toronto Land Transfer Tax is an unpredictable revenue stream, and that the only fair solution to the City's financial challenges is a combination of responsible fiscal management and fair revenues, like property taxes and user fees. REALTORS® comments were in response to a recent City Finance staff report indicating that the Toronto Land Transfer Tax is...Continue Reading...

REALTORS® Respond to Core Services Review at Toronto City Council

Toronto, September 21, 2011 – REALTORS® are following-up on their presentation to the City’s Executive Committee, earlier this week, by providing additional information on why they believe that the Toronto Land Transfer Tax is not part of the solution to the City’s financial challenges. “We are proud that the Toronto Real Estate Board was the only business organization that had the courage to go to City Hall and call for the fiscal restraint that so many Torontonians want and demand from...Continue Reading...

Tell Toronto City Hall to Target Waste, Not Home Buyers

September 16, 2011 -- Next week is an important time for our City and for property buyers.  Some key City of Toronto Councillors will be making decisions on how to get the City's finances in order so that City Hall can live within its means.   What they decide can directly impact your property buying decisions because their actions may be an important step towards keeping Mayor Ford's promise to repeal the Toronto Land Transfer Tax, which costs the average Toronto...Continue Reading...

Press Release: Greater Toronto REALTORS® Say No to Status Quo at Toronto City Hall

Toronto, September 7, 2011 – With Toronto City Council expected to make important decisions on City services and finances soon, REALTORS® are calling on Council to move ahead with getting the City’s finances in order and repealing the Toronto Land Transfer Tax. “We say no to the status quo. Torontonians elected this City Council with a clear mandate to get the City’s finances in order and change the way City Hall operates, including repealing the Toronto Land Transfer Tax. The public...Continue Reading...

Toronto Real Estate: Taking the sting out of unfair taxes

When it comes to government policy, business people and the general public don’t always see eye-to-eye; but when they do, there is even more reason for politicians to take notice.  That is why GTA municipal representatives would be well advised to pay close attention to the results of a recent public opinion poll, conducted for the Toronto Real Estate Board, on municipal finance issues.  The poll, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, found broad public support for numerous issues that have long been...Continue Reading...

Our Bathroom Renovations and the HST….

Over the past three months we have gutted and renovated two bathrooms, replaced doors and windows, dealt with a leaking basement and spent a lot more time, energy and money on our home. Like a lot of people who live in their houses while they are being renovated, we are happy to see the back end of our contractor and happy to have our house back. We are also kicking ourselves for not having all of this done years ago...mostly...Continue Reading...

The Ontario Real Estate Association hosts Political Action Days at Ontario’s Queen’s Park.

Yesterday was a great first day of Political Action with members of  the Ontario Real Estate Association . Annually the association holds a two-day session close to the Queen's Park  Parliament buildings and then meetings are held where Provincial and local issues are brought forward by OREA  to MPP's. This year the topics were Brownfield's  development (reuse of previously used property that has been contaminated in the past), the Harmonized Sales Tax  and it's effect on the Ontario Consumer, and the upcoming Provincial Election(11 months from now)....Continue Reading...

Ontario Real Estate Association and the HST…

Dorothy Mason, President of the Ontario Real Estate Association talks about the ongoing confusion surrounding the HST and homeownership in this video. Your thoughts??Continue Reading...

Harmonized Sales Tax: Did you know?

Here is some great information that was sent to me from Rachel at the Ministry of Revenue about the new HST. It gives you the HST and Real Estate in a nutshell: About 93 per cent of all homes sold in Ontario are not subject to an additional tax amount under the HST.  It’s important to note, the HST is not charged on resale homes.   (more...)Continue Reading...