Municipal Authority for Empty Homes Tax

Whereas encouraging unoccupied residential properties to become available for long-term occupancy represents an opportunity to increase the availability of housing in our communities; And whereas the authority to adopt an Empty Homes Tax is not currently available to municipalities operating outside of the Vancouver Charter: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Province of British Columbia to amend the Community Charter to enable municipalities to administer a specific property tax on unoccupied Class 1 Residential properties, with net revenues to be used by the municipality towards affordable housing projects.