Finance committee  It's a good question. As I indicated earlier, I think we could further study that question. If you want a quick opinion, I would suggest that at least half the renovation business currently in Canada is being done on a cash basis. That has serious ramifications in terms of safety

Finance committee  No question.

Finance committee  Unquestionably we as home builders and renovators would love to see it down to 0%, as you said. Remember that when we talk about the ramifications of this, potentially the cash economy is not even pulling permits for this. So touching on your comment earlier about safety and qual

Finance committee  There is a trade shortage and the disappointing part about that is it's difficult for trades to move back and forth across the country into different provincial jurisdictions and have those trades recognized. We need to go past the Red Seal program and have many of the other trad

Finance committee  I don't have those kinds of values with me today, but we can certainly put our heads down and come back with specifics on that.

Finance committee  I believe you're posing a question on what the value is in the underground economy. We could get that information or do our best estimate on it. I would appreciate the opportunity to provide that for you at a future time. You raise a very interesting point. The program would tou

Finance committee  That's a fair point. What we're saying, sir, is that we're looking at a tax-on-tax situation right now.

Finance committee  All orders of government have to recognize this so that we're not just simply loading one tax on top of another. I think you're right.

Finance committee  I don't think it's a simple answer. It's partly an income question and it's partly a supply question. With respect to the home-building industry being able to provide the services to construct the product, unquestionably they'd be able to be there to do that in spades. The sust

Finance committee  It did. Those kinds of things have a further reach, though, than just assisting our members. What they're really doing is reaching out to Canadians who want to improve their own affordability in their own homes. So while it did generate economic activity, what it did do was make

Finance committee  Yes.

Finance committee  I'm not sure of your reference about the 10 years, but to try to answer your question, we're seeing the cost of new homes rising exponentially faster than the rate of income, particularly for the new homebuyer, the first-time buyer, and the new Canadian.

Finance committee  Yes, we're recommending a judicious approach to this, where we're targeting it specifically at the group that needs to get into the market. They still need to qualify. They still need the five-year rule. We're not talking about reducing their ability to make the debt service. W

Finance committee  Cash operators undermine legitimate business and harm consumers, and reduce government tax revenue. CHBA therefore recommends a modest targeted home renovation tax credit to tackle the underground cash economy. An ongoing federal tax measure requiring receipts would undermine c

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm Bard Golightly, chief operating officer of the Christenson Group in Edmonton, Alberta. We're a residential development company. I'm speaking today on behalf of all my colleagues across the country in the Canadian Home Builders' Association. Canadian