Community Land Trusts exist across Canada, and are a proven vehicle to combat the affordable housing crisis in perpetuity, but they are crippled by current Federal tax law in their ability to acquire land donations. We have a created an innovative tax policy to unlock private land for public good. We need your help to move this policy forward and make meaningful change to solve Canada’s affordable housing crisis.
This policy is already supported by Canadian Chamber of Commerce, representing a network of over 450 chambers and over 200,000 businesses across Canada, along with many other organizations across Canada. We need our elected Federal representatives in Ottawa to bring this policy forward and legislate it into law so that we can start to turn the tide on the fight for affordable housing in Canada!
Join the Canada-wide movement by signing our online petition and talking to your local MP.
What is a Community Land Trust?
A Community Land Trust is a non-profit organization created to acquire and hold land for the benefit of the community. To do so, the trust acquires land and maintains ownership of it permanently. When the homeowner sells, the family earns only a portion of the increased property value. The remainder is kept by the trust, preserving the affordability for future generations.
There are already existing Community Land Trusts all across Canada and around the world. Many of them have received global recognition, such a Puerto Rico Community Land Trust which was awarded UN World Habitat Award or the Champlain Housing Trust which was founded by Bernie Sanders in 1984 and is still providing affordable housing today in Burlington, Vermont nearly 4 decades later.
What exactly will this policy do?
The proposed Land Trust Policy tax changes would help communities through-out Canada, no matter their size, to:
Create successful Community Land Trusts of their own;
Provide affordable housing for lower income residents in the community (seniors, young families, marginalized populations);
Revitalize under utilized areas by driving new development;
Provide low and moderate-income people with the opportunity to build equity through homeownership, and;
Capture the value of public investment for long-term community benefit.
How is a Community Land Trust different from other affordable housing models?
Recent studies in Canada indicate that land prices now comprise anywhere from 30% to 75% of the total sale price of a dwelling and are a major contributing factor for housing supply and pricing (CMHC, 2018).
As land becomes more valuable, there are increased incentives to: Build higher density and higher value buildings as well as demolish older single-storey dwellings to replace them with more expensive homes.
This relationship is not new and is also not limited to Canada: many studies have been completed by economists around the world which find this same correlation.
Although housing affordability dynamics in Canada are complex, data shows that the key to finding a solution to the affordability housing crisis is intrinsically linked to availability and price of land.
The secret to a Community Land Trust model is that it takes the “land” out of the picture and instead holds it forever, for the public benefit.
Take Action Today
Together we can solve Canada’s affordable housing crisis. Join the Canada-wide movement by signing our online petition and talking to your local MP.
Supported By
Mr. Frank Caputo, M.P.
Hear Colin Speak on Radio NL
The Kamloops & District Chamber provides members opportunities to grow their business and become community leaders through benefit opportunities & professional development programming, including the Business Excellence Awards, industry specific focus groups, networking luncheons, committees, peer lead seminars and much more.
Is a Land Trust Initiative the Answer to Affordable Housing in Canada?
The Land Trust Initiative looks to mirror a similar model that is used for ecological land reserves, essentially applying the framework that is currently used for ecological land reserves to affordable housing – currently, a disincentive exists for individuals or corporations who would consider donating land due to crippling Federal Tax Law, which makes tackling affordable housing a constant uphill battle across the country.
Let’s Solve Affordable Housing
Media Contact:
Acacia Pangilinan
Executive Director
Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce
E: acacia@kamloopschamber.ca
P: 778-257-5900
Media Contact:
Acacia Pangilinan
Executive Director
E: acacia@kamloopschamber.ca
P: 250-372-7722 C: 778-257-5900