Toronto's real estate board calls for land transfer tax cut ahead of October 26 vote
TRREB president Daniel Steinfeld says easing the city's municipal land transfer tax would be a fast way to help housing affordability, as Bradford and Chow set out competing plans.
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Toronto's real estate association called on candidates to cut the city's municipal land transfer tax this week, saying it is one of the fastest changes Toronto City Hall can make to help housing affordability before voting day on October 26.
Daniel Steinfeld, president of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, told the Toronto Sun on October 17 that the tax "has become something of a villain during this month's election campaign." Combined with Ontario's standard provincial tax, the two charges together come to about $33,000 on a typical Toronto home, according to TRREB.
The city already has a rebate on the municipal portion, but it only applies to homes priced at $400,000 or less. TRREB says that threshold is out of date: few Toronto homes sell at or below that price today.
Bradford proposes a wider rebate
Brad Bradford has made the land transfer tax a talking point in his campaign for mayor. He has cited a figure from a TRREB report on the campaign trail: more than 77,000 people moved away from Toronto last year, according to the Toronto Sun.
Bradford's campaign proposes a rebate on the city's portion of the tax for homes priced at $400,000 or less. The Bradford campaign estimates the rebate would be worth about $18,000 and would apply to two-thirds of Toronto resale homes.
Chow focuses on building new homes
Olivia Chow has focused her housing platform on construction. The Toronto Sun reported that she has touted rental home and affordable unit construction in her first term and has committed to building 65,000 homes by 2030.
TRREB on the limits of the change
Steinfeld said the tax is "in a lot of ways a low-hanging fruit" but acknowledged it is also a source of city revenue that would be hard to replace. He said affordability should not simply mean lower prices: cheaper studio condos do not help a family that needs three bedrooms.
He said the most important step is to restore people's confidence that homeownership is possible. "People have been so disenfranchised by what the current environment is," he told the Toronto Sun.
What this means for voters
Voters choosing between Bradford and Chow for mayor on October 26 can compare their housing plans at the candidate pages on this site. Bradford's full platform is at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/brad-bradford and Chow's is at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow.
Questions this story answers
What is Toronto's municipal land transfer tax?
Toronto is unusual among Ontario cities in that it charges its own land transfer tax on top of the provincial one. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says the combined amount comes to about $33,000 on a typical Toronto home. The city's existing rebate covers homes priced at $400,000 or less, a threshold that was set years ago and has not kept pace with rising prices.
What does Brad Bradford propose to do about the land transfer tax?
Bradford's campaign proposes a rebate on the city's portion of the land transfer tax for homes priced at $400,000 or less. The Bradford campaign estimates this rebate would be worth about $18,000 and would apply to two-thirds of Toronto's resale homes, according to reporting by the Toronto Sun on October 17, 2026.
What has Olivia Chow committed to on housing?
The Toronto Sun reported on October 17, 2026 that Chow has touted the creation of rental homes and affordable units in her first term and has committed to building 65,000 homes by 2030. Her platform focuses on building new homes rather than cutting the land transfer tax.
What does the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board say about the land transfer tax?
TRREB president Daniel Steinfeld told the Toronto Sun that the land transfer tax is something Toronto City Hall can change, unlike other housing cost drivers such as zoning or construction materials which require more steps. He said changing it could help bring back 'hope' for home ownership, particularly for young people. He also noted it is a source of city revenue that would be hard to replace.
How much do land transfer taxes cost when buying a home in Toronto?
The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says the combined provincial and municipal land transfer taxes come to about $33,000 on a typical Toronto home, according to the Toronto Sun report published October 17, 2026. The two taxes together are not covered by a mortgage, so buyers must pay them out of pocket at closing.
Why does the land transfer tax rebate threshold matter?
Toronto's existing land transfer tax rebate applies to homes priced at $400,000 or less. The Toronto Sun reported on October 17, 2026 that the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board views this threshold as out of date, because it was set years ago when Toronto home prices were much lower than they are now. Few homes in the city sell at or below $400,000 today.
When is voting day in Toronto's 2026 municipal election?
Voting day in the Toronto 2026 municipal election is Sunday, October 26, 2026. Voters will choose a mayor, one councillor per ward across 25 wards, and school board trustees for four boards. Advance voting ended on October 11. On October 26, voting places open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Where can I find each candidate's full position on housing?
You can read about Brad Bradford's platform on the voche.me candidate page at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/brad-bradford and Olivia Chow's platform at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow. The Toronto Sun article published October 17, 2026 is the source for the specific land transfer tax and housing figures reported here.
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