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Maritimes  + Canada  + Apartments  | 
Three levels of government are investing $154 million in five rental multi-residential development projects in Quebec City.

Nova Scotia Eliminates Apartment Construction Tax

The Nova Scotia government is removing its 10% sales tax from rental-housing construction projects, the Canadian Press reported recently.

The move comes after federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser sought the tax removal in a letter to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. On September 14, Ottawa scrapped the G.S.T. on apartment projects to help curb Canada’s severe rental-housing shortage.

Premier Houston’s decision means that Nova Scotia multi-family real estate developers will be spared from paying a total of 15% in construction taxes.

The province intends to review the effects of its decision on the market in two years. Nova Scotia’s opposition parties have supported the government’s decision.

After Ottawa scrapped G.S.T. charges, Ontario and Newfoundland Labrador agreed to lift their provincial sales taxes. However, Quebec has refused, contending that the move would cost $1.5 billion.

NAIOP Canada has called for all remaining provincial rental-housing construction taxes to be scrapped.

Photo: Roy Harris / Shutterstock.com

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Government of CanadaNova Scotia Housing Ministry

About Monte Stewart

Monte Stewart serves as Content Director - Canada for Connect Commercial Real Estate. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monte provides daily news coverage of major Canadian commercial real estate markets, including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. He has written about the real estate sector for various media outlets and Avison Young since the early 2000s. In addition, he has covered sports, general news and business for several leading wire services and publications, including The Canadian Press, The Associated Press, The Calgary Herald, The Globe and Mail, Research Money, The Daily Oil Bulletin, Natural Gas World and The Toronto Star. Monte is active in his community as a youth basketball coach and raises funds for such charitable causes as Movember.

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