CMHC makes it easier for entrepreneurs to obtain mortgages

It’s a proud moment for any fledgling entrepreneur. They start a new business and manage to make it a going concern. Perhaps they’re even taking a salary—a relative luxury for many business owners in the start-up phase—and can finally think about spending on themselves. Maybe a new home is at the top of that expenditure […]

New mortgage rules bring challenges for first-time home buying entrepreneurs

When the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions’ (OSFI) implemented new rules earlier this year designed largely to cool the red-hot housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver, many economists lauded the move. Indeed, housing affordability has emerged as a major issue in Canada in recent years, particularly in our largest cities. Many homes that […]

Ontario to hike Land Transfer Tax on some residential, commercial properties

Buying a residential or commercial property in Ontario is about to get more expensive. The Government of Ontario recently announced plans to hike land transfer tax (LTT) rates across the province, effective Jan. 1, 2017. As part of those changes, the LTT rate on any portion of the sale value of a single-family residence exceeding […]

How real estate deals could trigger serious tax liabilities

Investing in real estate can be a smart move for many entrepreneurs. Over the past decade or more, strategic real estate purchases—particularly on the residential front—have delivered returns on investment that, in some cases, have far exceeded those offered by equities and virtually all fixed-income savings vehicles. In hot markets such as Vancouver, Toronto—and until […]