National

B.C. shuts door on secondary-suite incentive program over 'uncertain financial times'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 19 Mar, 2025 03:02 PM

The British Columbia government says it is cancelling an incentive program meant to entice more homeowners to build secondary suites, saying the decision is "due to uncertain financial times."

The government says in a statement that the pilot program won't accept applications after March 31.

It says the federal government's commitment to implement a similar program was also a factor, and B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says they didn't want to duplicate programs.

Qualified homeowners in the pilot would have received construction costs for a new suite to a maximum of $40,000 in the form of a forgivable loan, while the federal government program, when it’s launched, would allow for low-interest loans of up to $80,000.

Kahlon says the province faces "uncertain economic conditions and an unpredictable tariff situation with the United States," so they are making sure they deliver the best value for housing.

The government says applicants who have started the process in the incentive program and who have all necessary permits and cost estimates will be able to submit their application until the end of the month.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Heiltsuk Nation written constitution passes with 67 per cent of votes

The Heiltsuk Nation has approved the adoption of a written constitution for the First Nation on British Columbia's central coast. The nation says 67 per cent of the 725 people who voted on the referendum were in favour of the constitution.

Heiltsuk Nation written constitution passes with 67 per cent of votes

Poilievre's proposed incentives for First Nations water, resource projects draw fire

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would incentivize First Nations to support natural-resource projects through industry taxes and revisiting how much sway Indigenous Peoples and environmental considerations have over approving projects. The proposals drew swift criticism from some experts and researchers.

Poilievre's proposed incentives for First Nations water, resource projects draw fire

Indigenous kids in care more likely to experience poor health later in life: report

Indigenous people who were in government care as children experience poorer health and socioeconomic outcomes later in life than those who were never in care, a new Statistics Canada report says. They suffer higher rates of disability, lower self-rated health levels and more homelessness, and are more likely to struggle to meet basic household needs, the report says.

Indigenous kids in care more likely to experience poor health later in life: report

Ex-coroner says B.C.'s drug policy overhaul looks like 'impulsive political decision'

British Columbia's former chief coroner says she's disappointed by the province's overhaul of its program that provides prescription alternatives to toxic street drugs, a shift she says "feels like a really impulsive political decision." Lisa Lapointe said the move to a "witnessed-only" model in which people are supervised while consuming their prescription drugs appeared to ignore scientific evidence.

Ex-coroner says B.C.'s drug policy overhaul looks like 'impulsive political decision'

Internal military report blames botched shooter drill on poor organization

During the drill, which took place on Nov. 12 at a service depot at CFB Longue-Pointe in Montreal, military police also confused a racialized employee with a drill participant playing an active shooter and wrestled him to the ground.

Internal military report blames botched shooter drill on poor organization

70% of Canadians support retaliatory tariffs on United States: poll

Seventy per cent of Canadians are in favour of dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on the United States, a new poll suggests. Nearly half of respondents to the Leger poll — 45 per cent — said they were strongly in favour of such tariffs, while 25 per cent said they were somewhat in favour.