By ThinkPol Staff

The BC Green Party is piling pressure on the NDP minority government its propping up to follow New Zealand’s example and restrict foreign real estate ownership in the province in the upcoming budget.

“Recently, we proposed we follow the lead of many other jurisdictions across the world, such as New Zealand, by restricting non-resident ownership of real estate,” Adam Olsen, Green MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, said in a release today . “We have also been proposing other solutions to restrict the impact of global capital and clamp down on speculation.”

Premier John Horgan had earlier rejected Green leader Andrew Weaver’s call for a ban on foreign buyers in the provinces hot housing markets.

“BC’s the gateway to Canada and I don’t believe we should be curbing people from coming here,” Premier Horgan told reporters. “I’m a child of an immigrant and virtually everyone I see here is a child of an immigrant.”

Olsen described the response from British Columbians to the Greens’ proposal to restrict foreign ownership as “overwhelming.”

“A vast majority of the responses have been from people who have an intense love for British Columbia,” he said. “BC is our home, but many people are feeling that they must leave their home communities, or even leave the province altogether to find economic opportunity in a place they can afford to live. As a result, we are hearing a variety of emotions from anger and frustration to deep sadness.”

“It is difficult to read the messages British Columbians are distressed by the empty homes in their neighbourhoods and the hollowing out of their communities,” he added. “Coupled with a lack of meaningful action from their government, people are fed up.

“Government has a responsibility to protect the vibrancy and life of our communities,” the rookie MLA reminded voters. “People of all walks of life should be able to live and thrive here.”

“Government said they will address the housing crisis in the budget next month,” he said. “They have committed to both increase the supply of housing and address the impact that speculation is having on house prices.”

“Now, in advance of the budget, we are keeping the pressure on the NDP, making sure that they know that millions of British Columbians are counting on them to deliver on these promises,” Olsen reassured supporters.

BC Greens are supporting the NDP minority government under a confidence and supply agreement.

The agreement binds the NDP government to “make housing more affordable by increasing supply of affordable housing and take action to deal with the speculation and fraud that is driving up prices.”

[Photo Credit: BC Greens]