The report, written by Yu, said the Metro real estate slump is not related to the economy, which is expanding. Instead, it is being driven by government policy at all three levels of government. The federal government has put in place stress tests for new buyers, meaning they have to be able to afford payments at a higher interest rate than the rate on offer. The provincial government has increased its foreign-buyers tax to 20 per cent, forcing more foreign investors away from Vancouver housing, while the City of Vancouver has introduced a tax on high-value homes that are left vacant.
