VICTORIA B.C.: Linda Hepner, Conservative MLA for Surrey-Serpentine River and Opposition Critic for Housing, is calling out David Eby’s NDP government for leaving British Columbia families in limbo while Ontario moves ahead with major housing affordability relief for new home buyers.
“Families in Ontario are being given housing affordability relief. Families in British Columbia are being given excuses,” said Hepner. “At a time when people are struggling with the cost of housing, every week of NDP delay means higher costs, stalled projects, and fewer homes being built.
On April 1, eleven leading business, housing, and construction organizations wrote to the Premier and the Minister of Housing asking B.C. to pursue a federal housing deal equivalent to Ontario’s, including a GST rebate on new housing and development charge reductions. Six weeks later, the NDP has failed to provide a timeline, failed to announce an eligibility window, and failed to give families, workers, or homebuilders any certainty.
Ontario has already announced that eligible new home purchases signed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027 will qualify for up to $130,000 in combined federal-provincial tax relief. That means families in Ontario know where they stand. Families in B.C. do not.
“This is about fairness,” said Hepner. “Why should a family in Ontario receive major housing relief while a family in British Columbia is left guessing? Why should BC workers, buyers, and communities be punished because this government cannot make a decision?”
Hepner said the NDP’s failure to act is not only hurting buyers but also threatening good-paying construction jobs across the province.
“When homebuilding slows down, workers pay the price,” said Hepner. “Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, framers, roofers, concrete workers, small contractors, and suppliers all depend on projects moving forward. Every week of NDP delay puts more jobs and more paycheques at risk.”
B.C. lost 11,700 full-time jobs in February. Hepner warned that the government’s silence is creating even more uncertainty in a sector that B.C. families and workers rely on.
“The NDP says it cares about affordability, but when there is a real opportunity to put money back in people’s pockets, they hide behind process and excuses,” said Hepner. “That is not leadership. That is leaving families behind.”
“The NDP talks endlessly about housing affordability, but when there is a real opportunity to deliver relief for British Columbians, they refuse to act,” said Hepner. “Ontario has shown what is possible. B.C. families deserve the same certainty, the same fairness, and the same chance to build a future they can afford.”
The B.C. Conservatives are calling on the NDP government to immediately announce an Ontario-equivalent housing affordability plan, establish a clear eligibility window, and protect construction jobs before more projects stall.
“British Columbians are not asking for special treatment,” said Hepner. “They are asking for fair treatment. If Ontario families can get relief, B.C. families should not be left behind.”
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