The Ontario Government told us today that it wants to make Ontario ‘A Place to Grow,’ which is a theme that is inherent in the work Ontario REALTORS® do every day. By connecting young families with homes, and helping first-time buyers find an affordable place to live, Ontario REALTORS® know what it takes to build … Continued
The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) today announced that Larissa Smit has joined OREA’s growing Government Relations team. “OREA is looking to strengthen our REALTOR® voice at Queen’s Park by enhancing the Association’s real estate and housing research capabilities. Larissa’s wealth of knowledge and experience will help OREA promote the Canadian dream of home ownership,” … Continued
The Government Relations team is excited to announce the appointment of John Oddi as Chair of OREA’s 2017-2018 Government Relations Committee. Mr. Oddi, will be leading some of OREA’s most important files, including; stopping the implementation of a mandatory energy audit scheme, and promoting affordable home ownership. “Ontario’s 70,000 REALTORS® are lucky to have John … Continued
Today, Markham City Council will be debating a motion calling on the Ontario government to introduce a foreign buyer’s tax. Please see the attached joint open letter from the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) to Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. Also below is a statement for publication from OREA … Continued
The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) met with Premier Kathleen Wynne today to discuss housing affordability and other real estate issues affecting Ontarians. Realtors are encouraged by Premier Wynne’s commitment to helping more young Ontarians become home owners. “We discussed a range of solutions to help with home … Continued
After a busy summer, MPPs are back at Queen’s Park. In the throne speech delivered earlier this week by Ontario’s lieutenant governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the government outlined their plans for this session. In the speech, the government re-affirms their commitment to balancing the budget next year and helping home owners reduce energy consumption. … Continued
With the Ontario legislature set to return on September 12th, we preview some of the issues and changes REALTORS® can expect to see this fall: New Home Inspector Licensing: The Minister of Government and Consumer Services, the Honourable Marie-France Lalonde, recently announced legislation that would see the licensing of home inspectors. This legislation is scheduled to … Continued
The Minister of Government and Consumer Services, the Honourable Marie-France Lalonde, announced yesterday she will be introducing legislation that would enhance consumer protection by licensing home inspectors. The legislation would set minimum standards for the performance of home inspections, as well as for contracts, disclosures and home inspection reports. Home inspectors would also need to … Continued
Two weeks ago, the Government of British Columbia (BC) introduced a new 15 per cent land transfer tax on foreign buyers of residential real estate in that province. The tax was introduced with no consultation and virtually no notice. As Ontario considers measures to address the growing affordability challenge in our province, OREA urges all … Continued
Did you know that some municipalities in Ontario have programs to help residents achieve the dream of home ownership? The home ownership component of the Investment in Affordable Housing for Ontario Program provides funding for renter households with low to moderate income to transition into home ownership. This is a joint program with funding provided … Continued