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| CFAA Political Goals |
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CFAA-FCAPI represents its members on political and economic issues at the federal level.
Read CFAA's Housing Policy Statement (which covers our housing and tax policy goals in summary form)
CFAA-FCAPI's current political goals
1. Obtaining government policies on energy and the environment that work for landlords and tenants in the private rental housing sector. CFAA-FCAPI is pressing the federal government:
 to give the private residential rental sector equitable and effective access to federal funding for energy efficiency;
to ensure that any carbon control programs respect the needs and interests of the private rental housing sector.
Read CFAA's submission to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) about reforms needed to the ecoENERGY Retrofit Incentive Program for HOMES (which includes low-rise rentals).
Read CFAA's recommendations to NRCan about energy subsidy programs in general.
2. Obtaining a federal housing policy that permits, or preferably encourages, provinces to use federal affordable housing money for Portable Housing Allowance programs to address affordability issues. Whether in the form of rent supplements or portable housing allowances, direct assistance to low-income renters is the single most cost-effective and quickest way to reduce housing affordability problems. Portable housing allowances best respect the rights of low-income tenants to dignity and choice, and should be the first choice of policy makers in most or all Canadian rental markets.
Read CFAA's statement on Portable Housing Allowances and What Organizations Say About Housing Allowances.
3. Focusing any government funding for building new housing on housing for special needs that cannot be met by the private sector. The private sector will provide all the housing for which there is effective demand (i.e. both the desire for the housing and the ability to pay for it), at the lowest cost. Most households in core need already live in housing that is otherwise suitable; they simply need assistance to pay for it. For ordinary renters of any income level, building new housing is not the cost-effective solution. For people with special needs, new construction is often a good solution, provided it comes with sufficient operating funding.
Read CFAA's Housing Policy Statement (especially page 2) and Info Sheet on Housing Programs
4. Obtaining more favourable tax policies for the rental housing industry. Federal and provincial income tax treatment for rental properties is much less favourable than it was formerly, and in many cases less favourable than the treatment of commercial property or shares or owner occupied homes. CFAA-FCAPI is pressing for the federal government to:
Restore rollover provisions for tax deferral on re-investment;
Increase the rate of capital cost allowances (CCA).
Read CFAA's Policy statement - Tax Deferral on Sale and Re-Investment and What organizations say about tax deferral on sale and re-investment
Read CFAA's Submission to the Minister of Finance on the CCA rate issue.
In the long term, CFAA-FCAPI would like the federal government to:
Reduce the inclusion rate for capital gains;
Allow rental housing to qualify for small business tax treatment;
Allow CCA deductions against other income; and
Eliminate the GST on rental housing operations.
5. Reversing the bias in government policies which favour home ownership over rental housing. For instance, eliminating CMHC's 5% down payment mortgage programs as bad public policy.
Read CFAA's news release on the federal government's decision to tighten mortgage lending requirements and CFAA's policy statement Balancing Incentives between Home Ownership & Rental Housing
6. Supporting our member associations in maintaining or achieving sound public policies in the face of economic change.
Housing Policy in Areas of Rapid Growth – Positive Measures
Housing Policy in Areas of Rapid Growth – Avoiding Counter Productive Measures
Housing Policy in Areas of High Temporary Accommodation Demand
7. Maintaining open immigration into Canada despite the recession
Letter to Minister Kenny - March 2009
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