Advocating for Affordable Housing: Habitat on the Hill
On October 1, our CEO, Susan Zambonin, represented Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) at Habitat on the Hill in Ottawa, joining her colleagues from Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Canada. Together, they advocated for a crucial change in federal policy: the removal of GST/HST on non-profit affordable housing builds.
The need for affordable housing has never been more urgent. Last year, 318 families reached out to Habitat PKR, expressing their critical need for affordable housing. While it’s commendable that the federal government has exempted purpose-built rentals from HST, affordable homeownership remains overlooked.
Each new home we build incurs an average HST cost of $50,000. In 2022 alone, local Habitat affiliates paid a staggering $2.7 million in GST/HST—funds that could have been redirected to building more homes for families in need.
The burden of HST is particularly challenging for families striving for financial stability. For every new affordable home we construct, our homeowners face an average HST burden that significantly limits our ability to serve more families. Removing this tax barrier would allow Habitat PKR to build one additional home for every five completed. This change could potentially save Habitat PKR over $2.6 million on our next 41-unit build, set to start in 2025.
During her visit, Susan, alongside Pedro Barata, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada and Alana Lavoie, Director of Policy & Government Relations, Habitat for Humanity Canada, met with key policymakers, including Dr. Kate Bezanson, Special Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, to discuss how to include non-profit affordable homeownership in the GST exemptions currently available to affordable rental and co-op housing.
We extend gratitude to MP Michelle Ferreri, MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman, MP Philip Lawrence and MP Ryan Turnbull for their willingness to engage in meaningful discussions about transforming lives through affordable homeownership.
Empowering Families Through Homeownership
At Habitat PKR, we believe that owning a home can create stability in life. With 87% of Canadians supporting the idea of homeownership as a means to stability, we are committed to making this a reality for families in our region.
The benefits of homeownership extend beyond just providing shelter; they can have a generational impact, particularly for women and children. Last year, 76% of the families seeking affordable housing through Habitat PKR were female-led households. By empowering women to achieve homeownership, we can help break the cycle of poverty and support healthy child development.
As we continue to advocate for the removal of GST/HST on affordable homeownership builds, we invite you to join us in this essential effort. With your support, we can address the housing crisis and enable more families to experience the stability that comes with owning a home. Let’s change the math on building affordable homes.
Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to change the math on building affordable homes. Stay tuned for more updates on our advocacy efforts by signing up to our mailing list here.
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I want to help build more affordable homes in the Peterborough and Kawartha Region!