By Chad Klassen

City councillor touts UBCM recommendations to improve housing affordability

Feb 7, 2018 | 10:56 AM

KAMLOOPS — After the Union of B.C. Municipalities announced 32 recommendations designed to ease the housing affordability crisis around the province, a Kamloops city councillor who’s involved in UBCM matters says it could have a trickle-down effect on this community.

One of the recommendations in the report is to increase the 15% foreign buyers tax, and while it mainly targets the Metro Vancouver housing market, Arjun Singh said it’s likely to influence affordability in smaller communities like Kamloops. 

“There’s certainly early indication that we’re getting folks coming from the Lower Mainland to Kamloops. Real estate’s quite hot. Whether it’s speculation or people who want to move here to live, that’s a different matter. They stay here to become contributing members of society and they’re part of our normal citizens’ base,” said Singh. 

“It’s more a question of people trying to make money by flipping things. That’s where we want to make sure that activity is curtailed. It allows people to have a level playing field.” 

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The recommendations also urge the province to reduce homelessness, something the NDP government has promised to pursue strongly.