BC Should Waive Its 20% Foreign Buyer Tax on New Homes Families Live In

Budget 2026 proposes to let foreign buyers purchase new homes again. In Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, that change will do little on its own, because BC charges its own 20% tax on foreign buyers and the federal budget leaves it in place. My view: BC should waive the 20% on brand new homes that a family buys to live in, from the day Ottawa's change becomes law.

This is an opinion piece. The rules below are the published rules as of November 9, 2026.

What the 20% costs on a new home here

BC's additional property transfer tax is 20% of the fair market value of a foreign national's share of a home. It applies in Metro Vancouver, which includes Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, and in four other regions. It is paid on top of the regular property transfer tax.

New house value	Foreign national's share	20% tax
$1,400,000	100%	$280,000
$1,400,000	50%, a parent on title with their child	$140,000
$1,400,000	25%	$70,000

The tax is 20% of the fair market value of the share on title, per the Province of BC. The house value is an example, not a listing.

Few families will pay $280,000 in tax to buy a house. So if Ottawa opens new homes to foreign buyers and BC keeps the 20%, the federal change will help few families in our area.

How few sales involve a foreign buyer

The province publishes these counts each month, by region. In Metro Vancouver, the share of sales with a foreign buyer is small. The current numbers are in the regional district monthly tables for 2025 and 2026.

I looked for the same counts for Coquitlam alone. In most months the province held them back, because a small number could point to a single buyer. That tells you how small the group is.

What Ottawa left to BC

Page 203 of the Budget 2026 document says the federal ban would stay on existing homes until January 1, 2029, "while exempting new residential properties." It gives the reason as "unlocking additional investment in new housing supply." It then says Ottawa will keep supporting measures "levied by other levels of government" that deal with speculation.

I read that last line as Ottawa leaving BC's tax alone. If the 20% is going to change, the province has to decide it.

Why I think BC should act

BC's own rules already treat a buyer who lives in the home differently:

• A confirmed BC Provincial Nominee who buys a home to live in pays no 20% tax.
• A foreign national who becomes a permanent resident or citizen within one year of the transfer can get the tax refunded, if they moved in within 92 days and lived there as their main home for a full year.

Think of a parent overseas who wants to help a child buy a house in Coquitlam. Today the 20% pushes that family to keep the parent off title. The parent puts in money and holds no legal share of the home. I think the law should let that family buy together.

What I am asking BC to do

1. Waive the 20% on a brand new home that nobody has lived in, when it is bought as a principal residence, from the day Ottawa's new-home exemption takes effect.
2. At the least, waive it for families: a parent or grandparent who buys together with a child or grandchild who is a citizen or permanent resident and lives in the home.

Keep the tax on resale homes and on homes bought to sit empty.

What to do today

Nothing has changed yet. The federal exemption is a proposal, and BC's tax applies in full.

If everyone buying is a citizen or permanent resident, the 20% does not apply to you. If a family member abroad wants to help, a gift toward the down payment with that person off title is the simple route today. Your lender will want a gift letter and proof of where the money came from. Do not sign a contract, including a presale contract, that only works if the law changes.

If you agree with me, write to your MLA and to BC's Minister of Finance. Name the home your family wants and who would live in it.

Questions buyers ask

Does BC's 20% foreign buyer tax apply in Coquitlam?

Yes. Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are in the Metro Vancouver Regional District. That is one of five regions where BC charges a foreign national 20% of the fair market value of their share of a home. The others are the Capital, Fraser Valley, Central Okanagan and Nanaimo regional districts. The tax is paid on top of the regular property transfer tax that every buyer pays.

Does Budget 2026 remove BC's 20% tax?

No. Budget 2026 proposes to extend the federal ban on existing homes to January 1, 2029 and to exempt new homes. That is a federal proposal, and Parliament still has to pass it. BC's 20% tax is a separate provincial law. The budget does not change it, and only the Government of BC can waive or change it.

How is the tax charged when only one buyer is a foreign national?

The tax is charged only on that buyer's share of the title. If a parent abroad holds half of a $1,400,000 home, the tax is 20% of $700,000, which is $140,000. The shares held by citizens and permanent residents are not charged. The share is the percentage of interest registered on title with the Land Title Office.

Can a foreign buyer get the 20% tax back?

Yes, in one case. The buyer must become a permanent resident or citizen within one year of the transfer, move in within 92 days, and live there as their main home for a full year after moving in. They apply after that first year and before 18 months from the date the transfer was registered.

Who is exempt from BC's 20% tax today?

A foreign national confirmed under the BC Provincial Nominee Program pays no 20% tax on a home they buy as their principal residence, if they claim the exemption when the transfer is registered. They can claim it only once. Family members who are also foreign nationals still pay the tax on their own share.

How many home sales in Metro Vancouver have a foreign buyer?

Few, by the province's own count. The Province of BC publishes the number of residential transfers with a foreign buyer each month, by region and by city, in its property transfer tax data. For Coquitlam alone, the province often holds the count back, because a small number could point to a single buyer. The latest tables have the current figures.

What can my family do while the rules stay the same?

If every buyer is a citizen or permanent resident, the tax does not apply. A parent abroad can help with a gift toward the down payment and stay off title for now. Your lender will ask for a gift letter and proof of where the money came from. Ask a lawyer or notary before you sign anything that depends on a change in the law.

Who should I write to about the 20% tax?

Write to your MLA and to BC's Minister of Finance. A short letter works best when it is specific: name the home your family wants to buy, who would live in it, and which family member is not yet a citizen or permanent resident. A real case gives them a family to picture when they decide.

Plan your next step

If your family is planning a purchase across two countries, contact me and we will go through the options under today's rules. You can also search homes in Coquitlam.

General information only, not legal or tax advice. The new-home exemption is a federal proposal and is not law. Speak to a real estate lawyer or notary before you sign a contract.