Advocacy for newcomers to access home ownership
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program is a great success, but the Chambers of Commerce are concerned that participants cannot become owners.
The Chambers of Commerce of Thunder Bay and Sudbury sent a joint letter to federal government ministers, asking them to add exemptions to the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Real Property by Non-Canadians Act.< /p>
This law, in force since January 1, prohibits individuals who do not have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status from buying residential property.
This law also applies to participants of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (NRPP), a reality that the Chambers of Commerce wish to change.
Charla Robinson, President of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, says she believes the law was written with very few exceptions.
Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce President Charla Robinson believes newcomers should have the right to become owners in order to integrate more quickly into their host community. (File photo)
We are very concerned about this prohibition and the impact it will have on newcomers, especially those arriving via the PPRN, says Ms. Robinson before adding that they are told to come, but we do not only half-welcoming them.
“It's not very welcoming to newcomers who come here to build a life and who cannot afford residential property. »
— Charla Robinson, President of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce
Especially since obtaining permanent residency can sometimes drag on for a year or more, adds she.
She wants PPRN participants to be able to integrate as quickly as possible into their host communities, throughout Northern Ontario.
Although she recognizes that the primary purpose of this law is to curb real estate speculation, she fears that it will have harmful effects on these new workers.
Chambers of Commerce Northern Ontario's five PPRN participating communities, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins, are united behind this initiative, said Robinson.
Chair of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Anthony Davis, calls for participants in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot can become owners.
Anthony Davis, president of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, agrees; he cares about this law when we [business owners] desperately need skilled workers in our communities, especially in Northern Ontario..
“These regulations create barriers for non-Canadians who want to settle.
— Anthony Davis, Chairman of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Davis talks about the concrete impact of this law on a mining engineer arriving from abroad to fill a position in the region. Although he could financially bear the cost, he was prohibited from acquiring it because of his status.
When questioned on the subject, Ms. Robinson replied that no PPRN participant had complained, to her knowledge. Above all, we wanted to sound the alarm with this letter addressed to the federal government, she says.
The same goes for the PPRN coordinator at the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, Heather van Veen. She concedes that she has never met a participant in the program expressing any concern whatsoever in connection with this law. However, she acknowledges that the latter could create problems for workers moving to Northern Ontario through the PPRN.
Since the letter was sent MPs Chrystia Freeland and Sean Fraser, Ms Robinson was asked to forward her request to Minister for Housing, Diversity and Inclusion, Ahmed Hussen.
Mr. Davis is also awaiting a response from federal authorities. He hasn't received anything yet.
“The government tends to move a little slower than us.
— Anthony Davis, Chairman of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce
None of the departments contacted to date have granted interview nor made comments at the time of publishing these lines.
