Mayor Bevilacqua welcomes proposed plan to protect homebuyers
Safeguarding residents’
interests a priority
Mayor Bevilacqua issued
the following statement regarding today’s announcement from the provincial
government about new initiatives being implemented to better protect purchasers
of cancelled pre-construction condominium projects.
“Whether they are consumers,
taxpayers or homebuyers, people have rights that should be honoured and respected.
Many Vaughan residents and aspiring Vaughan residents have been adversely affected
by recent condo cancellations.
“In May of last year, a
formal written request was sent to the Ministry of Government and Consumers
Services, calling for a review of the legislation governing the marketing,
presale and cancellation of pre-construction condominium projects. Today’s
announcement is a step in the right direction.
“My message has been
clear since the beginning – companies that do not operate within a respectful
framework must rethink their practices when doing business in Vaughan. I am
pleased that the provincial government has addressed some of our concerns by
implementing initiatives that would bring greater protection to people when
making what is perhaps the most important purchasing decision of their lives –
buying a home.
“Strengthening consumer
protection is a move I firmly stand behind. Vaughan is a rapidly growing city
with several new development projects on the horizon. Our new downtown, the
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, is shaping into a dynamic downtown core that will
be home to more than 25,000 people living in a projected 12,000 residential units.
Their protection remains of paramount importance.
“Accountability and
transparency are among the foundational principles that guide our approach to
city building in Vaughan. Consumers deserve to be treated with fairness,
dignity and respect. I am encouraged by today’s announcement by the provincial
government and remain hopeful that their measures will be fully respected and
enforced.”
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