Canada’s 44th federal election has finally arrived, voters can start heading to the polls today, Sept 20^th. This year’s election is especially important as the economy is heading for recovery and the parties are making plenty of promises. The outcome of this election will dictate where we’re heading and how to achieve in the upcoming years. Below are some promises each party makes with regard to COVID-19, Real Estate and Healthcare.

Liberal:

• Free vaccine Booster Shot
• Domestic vaccine Production
• Legislation to protect businesses requiring workers to be vaccinated
• Funding to help create proof-of-vaccination
• Reduce student-loan and increase senior payment
• Expand caregiver credit into tax-free benefit
• Eliminate interest on student and change repayment requirement to $50,000 a year
• Tax on property flipping and ban “blind bidding”
• Two-year ban on foreigners purchases of housing in Canada
• Funding to build/repair/preserve home
• New tax credit for first time home buyers
• Hire 7,500 family doctors and nurses and expand virtual primary care
• Spending to reduce waiting times for tests and surgeries
• Forgive student loan for medical practitioners to work in rural community.

Conservative:

• Wind down emergency support program as economy re-open
• Setup rapid booster shot deal
• Rapid testing at all border and entry point, close border to traveller from global hotspot
• Domestic vaccine production
• Against mandatory vaccination
• Increase competition in the telecom sector
• Month-long GST holiday a month after the election
• Increase fines and criminal penalties for grocery price fixing
• Increase workers benefit to $5,000 as direct credit
• Two-year ban on foreigners purchases of housing in Canada
• Release 15% of government owned properties for new builds or covert them to rental
• Reduce Mortgage stress test
• Increase health-care transfer over 10 years
• Encourage employer to add mental-health coverage for the first three years

New Democratic Party (NDP):

• Employment income benefit for worker returning to school
• 15% COVID-19 excess-profit tax on corporate
• Crown corporation for domestic vaccine production
• Increase the availability and amounts of employment insurance
• Develop a Canada Post Banking model for isolated communities
• 20% tax on offshore buyers
• Increase capital gain tax to 75% on houses bought for investment purposes
• Create affordable housing and preserve homes
• Universal prescription-drug program
• Tackle waiting time and expand virtual and palliative care

Green:

• Criticizes mandatory vaccination
• Livable income program “life with dignity” to address affordability
• Abolish post-secondary tuition and cancel federally held student loan.
• Create affordable housing and preserve homes
• Retroactive benefit for tenant
• Rework mandate of CMHC toward supporting development for non-profit housing.
• Expand public health care dental care with full dental care for low-income children.

Don’t forget to vote!