Ontario plans to waive HST on new homes for first-time buyers up to $1M
The Ford government will waive its portion of the sales tax on new homes for first-time buyers up to the value of $1 million as it bids to stimulate slumping home sales and housing starts in Ontario.
On Tuesday morning, Housing Minister Rob Flack and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced the move, confirming a policy which had, at times, appeared in flux.
The pair said they would use the Fall Economic Statement to rebate the eight per cent provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax for first-time home buyers on new homes up to $1 million. They estimated the change could save new homebuyers $80,000 when “combined with” other provincial measures.
“Our government is working every day to bring the dream of homeownership within reach for more people. Today’s announcement is good news not only for first-time homebuyers, but for workers and tradespeople who can keep doing what they love — building their communities,” Flack said in a statement.
“The actions we’re taking today complement our legislation and is just one more way we are protecting Ontario by creating the conditions to build.”
The Ontario government had previously signalled that if the federal government removed its portion of the harmonized sales tax for first-time homebuyers, the province would follow suit.
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The federal government proposed earlier this year to rebate the federal portion of the HST on new and substantially renovated homes valued up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers.
While homes valued up to $1 million would qualify for the full rebate, there will be partial rebates on a phased-in basis for homes valued up to $1.5 million.
The move confirms Ontario will only remove the sales tax from new homes for first-time buyers, rather than embracing a broader tax holiday advocated for builders. The latter is something Premier Doug Ford appeared to consider, until Bethlenfalvy told him it would cost too much.
“Let’s get rid of the HST,” Ford said at a news conference on Aug. 12, apparently offering the plan for all new homes.
“I will follow that — on anyone that buys a home, not just new homebuyers — on anyone. And let’s do it to a point of two years, so it puts pressure on the market…. That’s massive amounts of savings for people.”
Asked about the decision again at a separate news conference on Aug. 14, the premier abandoned the pledge — suggesting he had been told it was a move his government couldn’t afford.
“As for the HST, I got my knuckles rapped a little from the finance minister because he’s doing his job,” he said. “That’s a lot of money, but that’s something we’ll sit down with the finance minister and the prime minister and see how we can look at the HST for certain sectors.”
The back-and-forth over how much tax to waive comes as Ontario continues to post worsening housing data, and its goal of 1.5 million homes by 2031 slips away.
Two-thirds of the way through the year, in August, Ontario had achieved just 26 per cent of its goal for the year, and was the only province in Canada where housing starts are worse this year than last.
The Ford government won the 2022 election under a promise to build transit, highways and 1.5 million homes by 2031.
Despite introducing at least one housing law every year, the number of new homes in the province has stalled and starts are falling.
The province is yet to get near the 150,000 new homes it would need to hit every year for its target to be achieved.
Over the summer, Flack admitted homebuilding in Ontario was at a “standstill” and pointed to concerns about the cost of building.
The Fall Economic Statement — which will include the measure — is set to be tabled on Nov. 6.
— With files from The Canadian Pres
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
The LCBO has pleaded guilty and been fined $80,000 after a worker was critically injured while operating a lift truck during a training session at a warehouse in London, Ont.
According to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, the incident happened on June 20, 2022, when workers were being trained to use a powered pallet lift truck.
Investigators found that the session was being led by a seasonal worker who was not certified to train others.
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The trainer had experience using the equipment but gave only a brief overview, assuming participants had already completed theoretical training. The trainer proceeded to give an incomplete overview of how to complete a visual and operational inspection based on the employer’s checklist and manufacturer’s manual.
During the exercise, one worker operating the machine for the first time lost control and struck a steel storage rack, suffering a critical injury.
The ministry said the LCBO failed to provide proper information, instruction and supervision, violating a section of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Following a guilty plea in London’s Provincial Offences Court, the $80,000 fine was imposed on Aug. 28, 2025.
The court also added a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which goes to a provincial fund supporting victims of crime.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
TORONTO – Collin Murray-Boyles doesn’t think he’s had his “welcome to the NBA” moment just yet, but he’ll never forget the first time he tangled with the Houston Rockets.
Murray-Boyles started for the first time in his NBA career on Wednesday, playing at centre for the Toronto Raptors in a 139-121 loss to Houston. That meant playing defence against former leading scorer Kevin Durant, former all-star Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., backup centre Steven Adams, all of whom are over six-foot-10.
“That’s a great challenge, especially early on, especially for this team, going up against a team that’s going to make it really deep in the playoffs,” said Murray-Boyles. “You never know what type of lineup you’re going to go up against every night.
“Going up against a supersized line like this showed us what we need to do better, what we did good, and we can watch and see how we can improve.”
Murray-Boyles was taken ninth overall by Toronto in this summer’s NBA Draft. The six-foot-seven 20-year-old has only played in three games so far this season.
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Although Durant — a surefire Hall of Famer who has been named an all-star 15 times — would theoretically be the toughest Rockets player for Murray-Boyles to guard, it was Adams who caught his attention.
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“Steven Adams is insanely strong. My wrists are sore right now. I’m trying to box him out and tussle with him and it’s impossible,” said Murray-Boyles, rubbing his forearms. “I didn’t think it was like that. Nobody gets over his screens.
“I was asking him what his routine is mid game. It’s insane. It’s insane. There’s him and then you have to worry about him and KD. It’s crazy what they got.”
Murray-Boyles’s first-ever NBA start was necessary as Jakob Poeltl, Toronto’s usual starting centre, was ruled out hours before the opening tip-off with lower back stiffness. Murray-Boyles finished with 13 points and two assists over 25 minutes, briefly getting benched after he got four personal fouls.
“We had to start Collin, Collin played in just his third game and he was already starting in the game tonight,” said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. “Without Jak, who’s supposed to help us with rebounding, and controlling the paint, and then do all of that, it puts all the guys in different roles on our second unit.
“(The reserves) are still searching for those combinations, and how those guys can help each other. I think their energy is good. They really trying in games like today, they’re just smaller. They punked us on the glass.”
At different points in the night, Houston was able to put five players out on the court who are all over six-foot-10, at least an inch taller than six-foot-nine Sandro Mamukelashvii, Toronto’s tallest healthy player.
The size advantage held by Smith (6-11), Durant (6-10), Sengun (6-11), Adams (6-11), and Clint Capela (6-10) over the entire Raptors roster allowed them to out-rebound the hosts 53-22.
Houston also outscored the Raptors 66-36 in the paint and the Rockets bench had 37 points to Toronto’s reserves getting 23.
“That’s what comes with it. You’ve got to be more gritty,” said Murray-Boyles. “They had all five crashing sometimes, we had three, two, but we never had all five crashing.
“Some of that falls on me. But we’ve got to be more gritty on the rebounds, try to be as physical as possible throughout the whole game, not giving them anything easy around the rim.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
A heavy police presence in Port Colborne, Ont., has ended with the arrest of a 27-year-old man after a weapons incident left one person dead.
Niagara Regional Police say officers were called to a home on Fares Street early Wednesday morning for reports of a possible weapons situation.
Members of the Emergency Task Unit later found a deceased man inside the residence.
Investigators identified the man from Port Colborne as Brady Neff, and arrested him at around 3 p.m. after a lengthy, intense search.
Hamilton police released his photo just after noon, warning that he was armed and dangerous and asking residents to stay indoors.
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Several schools in the area were also placed on hold and secure, while officers surrounded two homes in search of the suspect – one on Fares Street and another on Mitchell Street.
Police could be heard in a video circulating on Facebook, outside one of the homes, calling for Neff to surrender, but he was not found at either address.
Later in the afternoon, officers tracked Neff to the west side of the Welland Canal, near Killaly Street East and Welland Street, where he was arrested.
Niagara police confirmed that Neff now remains in custody and is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing Thursday at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.
Neff does have a previous criminal history, authorities confirmed.
The Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation and is urging anyone with further information to come forward.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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