GOVERNMENT TAXATION KILLS THE DREAMS OF NEW BRUNSWICK FAMILIES:

Did you know that the Residential Construction Sector is the 3^rd largest industry in New Brunswick and a fundamental driver to the Province’s economy? Owning a new home, their dream home, is in the hearts and minds of every New Brunswick family. However, through relentless government taxation, this dream is getting further out of reach of the New Brunswick middle class and New Brunswick families.

What portion of your new home budget is paid in Government Taxes and Fees?

Most New Brunswickers work hard and save for years to be able to afford to build a new home, their dream home. But how much of their dream home budget is swallowed-up by our municipalities and our Provincial Government through taxes and fees? The truth will surprise you!

Let’s say you have saved $350,000 and are ready to build a new home for your family. Here is where your hard-earned savings go first: (numbers are based on $350,000 and may vary by municipality)

Summary: For a $350,000 new home budget you will receive a $274,708 home and then pay another $43,519 in interest over 25 years on the costs associated with government fees and other costs.

Our Governments need to support community growth and protect the dreams of New Brunswick families by reducing and eliminating unnecessary fees and taxes for New Brunswickers who are trying to obtain life’s most basic provision; a home to raise their families.

THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUPPORTS THE NEW BRUNSWICK ECONOMY:

In 2017 the Residential Construction Industry in New Brunswick was responsible for:

 2,324 new housing starts. The construction of new homes not only provides a safe place to raise a family, it also becomes an investment for New Brunswick families. In 2017, our industry contributed over $2 billion dollars in investment value to New Brunswick families through new home construction and renovation. New home construction also provides an annual revenue stream for the Province and municipalities through property taxation for years after the initial construction. When new housing becomes unaffordable for New Brunswick families, the Province, our municipalities and our economy suffers.

17,150 Jobs were provided by our industry resulting in $907 million dollars in wages that show up in purchases across the entire provincial economy. Our industry provides jobs for New Brunswickers and keeps New Brunswickers working at home in our Province and supports Trades and Apprenticeship Programs.

WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY:

Since 1943, the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) has been "the voice of Canada's residential construction industry." Representing one of the largest industry sectors in Canada, and 3^rd largest in New Brunswick, our membership is made up of over 8,500 companies – including home builders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, and service professionals. In New Brunswick our Association represents 250 Member companies and speaks on behalf of thousands who work in our industry.

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association New Brunswick seeks a strong and positive role for the housing industry in New Brunswick’s economy and in the life and development of our communities. We work to ensure New Brunswickers have access to homes that meet their needs at a price they can afford to pay, and that the interests of homebuyers and homeowners are understood by our governments. We provide information to New Brunswickers to help them become more informed and confident when constructing a new home or hiring a renovator to improve their existing one.

OUR INDUSTRY HAS BEEN BECOME A “CASH COW” FOR THE PROVINCE AND OUR MUNICIPALITIES:

Despite the economic value that we bring to the Province’s economy, our Industry has become a target for increased taxation and fees in recent years. In 2015 we suffered a 2% increase in the HST on new housing and renovation as well as a 100% increase in land transfer taxes. WorkSafe NB has increased its annual premiums by 53%, costing consumers millions of dollars and is among some of the highest workplace occupational heath fees in Canada. Where will it end?

TAXATION OF THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY MEANS FEWER JOBS FOR NEW BRUNSWICKERS:

Like all other industries, when Government imposes taxes and fees, these are passed onto New Brunswick families who are now paying more for a new home and for their renovations. With the Federal GST Rebate on new homes capped at $350,000, this rebate has little to no benefit to a new home buyer in this Province. A new home is becoming further and further out of reach for most New Brunswick families. This means: Fewer new homes, fewer jobs, fewer people entering the trades, less of a tax base for the Province and municipalities. Taxing our industry does not benefit our Province, it impedes our overall economic growth and prosperity.

GOVERNMENT IMPOSED TAXES SLOWS THE RENOVATION MARKET:

An increase in taxation not only affects new home construction but it also affects the renovation sector whose revenue outpaces new home construction by at least 7 times. In fact, in New Brunswick, home renovation accounts for 12,417 direct jobs and contributes $656 million in wages that are spent across the entire economy of the Province. It also contributes $1.5 billion in investment value to New Brunswick home owners.

INCREASED TAXES PUT NEW BRUNSWICK HOME OWNERS AT RISK!

By increasing taxes and WorkSafe premiums our Provincial Government is inadvertently contributing to the wealth and prosperity of those who operate in the residential underground economy and our Government’s inattention to this serious issue puts consumers and their hard-earned money and financial well-being at risk.

Underground contractors fly under the radar; they pay their workers cash which means young men and women who enter the trades or work for these people are not being compensated or trained appropriately, they are not contributing to EI, CPP, or paying Federal and Provincial taxes or HST on labor. They are not purchasing insurance or providing warranty to protect consumers. In the event of an accident, employees are left with no coverage by WorkSafe NB. Many of the underground contractors are unskilled and are inexperienced and this results in the hundreds of calls the Canadian Home Builders’ Association New Brunswick receive a year from homeowners who have been ripped off or have had shoddy work completed on their homes. These underground contractors offer unwitting consumers “a deal” and these consumers end up with a sub-standard product, and no one to turn to when things go bad, and things do go bad, all the time.

By not curtailing the operations of the Underground, our Government also hurts the Provincial economy in lost HST on labor, WorkSafe Premiums, CPP and EI investments. A report from Will Dunning & Associates estimates that the Province of New Brunswick looses approximately $25,000,000.00 per year in lost taxation revenue. This is unfortunate when there are simple solutions to helping New Brunswickers secure their finances, improve their home’s market value and contribute to better neighborhoods without fear of hiring an unscrupulous contractor.

THERE IS NO DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR 3rd LARGEST INDUSTRY:

The Residential Construction Industry is the 3rd largest industry in New Brunswick representing 17,150 jobs, $907 million in wages and $2 billion dollars in investment revenue. The industry is unregulated and provides every New Brunswicker with their most basic provision; their home, a safe place to live and to raise their families. Despite our economic impact and relevance in this Province, there is no Government Department responsible for housing. New Brunswick’s other leading industries; Agriculture, Aquaculture, Transportation, Tourism and Mining are all represented with a Department and a Minister to ensure that as an economic contributor, their issues are being represented, regulated and protected.

There are numerous issues that could fall under this Department’s prévu including, affordable housing, maintaining housing affordability for all New Brunswick families, consumer protection by establishing a housing ombudsman for those being ripped off by the underground economy, and provide for a Provincial Building Code Act to assist with the timely and efficient adoption of the National Building Code of Canada.

THERE IS NO EFFICIENT WAY TO ADOPT THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF CANADA:

In 2011, organizations involved in the residential construction industry came together under the leadership of the Department of Public Safety to create the Building Code Act of New Brunswick. Although introduced and adopted by the Provincial Legislature, it was never assented due to unresolved issues between the parties regarding the creation of the Regulations to support the Act and the Province’s interest diminished in proceeding forward.

A Provincial Building Code Act would have provided the structure for the training and certification of building officials of our municipalities, a Chief Building Inspector for the Province to deal with disputes between authorities having jurisdiction and industry participants, the consistent implementation of the National Building Code of Canada across the Province, and it would have provided for the efficient and timely adoption of the National Building Code during each Code cycle which occurs every five years. The National Building Code of Canada, in particular Part 9, provides the minimum requirements for house construction and renovation as it pertains to structural safety and energy efficiency across the entire Country.

It took five years for the Province of New Brunswick to adopt the 2010 National Building Code of Canada, long after most provinces in Canada had done so. Without a Government Department and an approval mechanism in place, New Brunswick did not adopt the 2010 National Building Code until January 1, 2015. Its adoption was enabled through pairing with the NB Accessibilities Act. The 2005 National Building Code was passed in 2010 with the Community Planning Act and prior to that Codes were adopted with the Metric Conversion Act.

While our industry waits for the adoption of the 2015 National Building Code, it lags behind the rest of the Country who are well into the provisions that the Code allows for in those Provinces where it is adopted. In short, by untimely adoption of the National Building Code, New Brunswick’s new and renovated homes are not on par with the rest of the Country and for no reason other than lack of a Provincial Building Code Act.

Download the complete PDF letter here.

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