Carney and Poilievre both vow to axe GST on new homes. Will it help? – National [Video]

With Canadians getting ready to head to the polls in just over a month, one question continues to weigh on many voters: will housing ever get more affordable?

Housing affordability is a prominent ballot box issue this election, ranking fourth out of nine top concerns for voters in a recent Ipsos poll conducted for Global News, with the top concern being inflation and the cost of living.

Canada’s major political parties have announced measures they say will help housing affordability, with both the Liberals and the Conservatives promising to waive the GST on newly built homes.

But experts are divided on whether that plan will work.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre have both proposed eliminating the GST on new builds under a certain value.

Currently, Canadians buying new construction homes are required to pay five per cent GST/HST, unless the fair market value of the new home is under $450,000.

Carney’s plan would remove the GST for newly built …