Balarama Holness Wants To Create A 15% Tax Rebate For First-Time Homebuyers In Montreal

Mouvement Montréal leader and mayoral candidate Balarama Holness has announced a new campaign promise that is sure to please would-be first-time homeowners in Montreal.

Holness tells MTL Blog that his party would offer a 15% tax rebate for any first-time homebuyers.

Although the plan is vague on details at the moment, this pledge sounds similar to one made by Ensemble Montréal and mayor candidate Denis Coderre on Monday.

Mouvement Montréal's new pledge follows along the lines of the party's ambitious plan for housing.

Holness has positioned himself as a champion of social and affordable housing and has attempted to distinguish himself from the current administration by promising more social housing and stricter laws around real estate speculation.

The party has also promised a "Housing Crisis Action Plan" which is meant to "remedy the Plante administration's housing failures," according to a statement shared with MTL Blog.

This plan would replace the current 20/20/20 mandate with a "30/30/30" plan which will mandate that "all new residential developments with 8+ units must contain: 30% social housing and 30% affordable housing, with affordable housing costing tenants a maximum of 30% of their total monthly income before taxes."