After the Liberal Party’s promise to abolish the welcome tax on the purchase of a first property, the mayoress of Montreal, Valérie Plante, replies that the City cannot currently do without it.
“We cannot lose this income. We are 70% dependent on property taxes, we absolutely cannot, unfortunately, deprive ourselves of this source of financing, ”explained Mayor Plante, during a press scrum.
Dominique Anglade, leader of the Liberal Party, made the promise during the weekend to abolish the welcome tax for the purchase of a first property, while offering compensation to the municipalities. The measure would aim to facilitate access to property while the real estate overheating still hits the metropolis and its surroundings.
“I am delighted that different levels of government are looking for solutions to support households in Montreal and across Quebec to find decent housing,” added Ms. Plante, who reminds us that the current crisis is a “reality”.
His party is also proposing several measures to combat the current situation, in particular the construction of social housing.
On the side of the official opposition at city hall, it is estimated that Montrealers would benefit from this “barrier” being eliminated.
“The mayor is defending the welcome tax rather than opening up to thinking about the diversification of sources of income. It is all the same contradictory on the part of an administration which was elected on the idea of having less taxes and more welcome,” quipped Aref Salem, leader of Ensemble Montreal.