NDP Makes Buying A Home More Affordable

Families are worried about their jobs and paying for their mortgage," said Notley. "But Jim Prentice is barging ahead with his plan to hike the Mortgage Tax by 600 percent, putting a new hurdle in the path to homeownership. Jim Prentice's Mortgage Tax hike is the worst kind of housewarming gift for homebuyers."

The PC budget increases the variable Mortgage Tax and Land Transfer fees from $1 to $6 for every $5,000 of property value, as of July 1, 2015. It also increases the fixed fees for mortgages, land transfers, and land title registry searches.

Today, Notley announced that the NDP will cancel the PCs' tax hikes on mortgages and land titles, allowing new homebuyers to keep hundreds of dollars in their own pockets.

"Jim Prentice is protecting corporate tax giveaways for the PCs' wealthy friends while making it more expensive for families to buy a home. Clearly, the PCs have the wrong priorities," said Notley. "The NDP will stop Jim Prentice's tax hike on mortgages and land titles. Unlike the PCs, the NDP plan will make life more affordable for families and focus on protecting what matters most to Albertans."

Albertans 'Surprised, Hopeful' After Vaulting NDP To Power

Most Albertans aren't plagued by second thoughts after decisively handing the reins of power to the NDP in last week's historic provincial election, a new survey suggests.

The Ottawa-based Abacus Data poll of 1,000 Albertans — conducted from May 6, the day after the vote, until May 11 — found that 40 per cent of respondents are "accepting" of the result, 20 per cent are "happy" and 17 per cent "delighted."

Only nine per cent said they are "upset," and 15 per cent said they are "unhappy."

"The responses reveal a population that expresses more surprise, happiness and hopefulness than dismay or fear," Abacus pollsters Bruce Anderson and David Coletto said in a release.

The May 5 vote saw Rachel Notley's NDP sweep to power with a majority government, ending more than four decades of Tory rule in Alberta.