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VAUGHAN, ONT. <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>It was a monumental occasion to have King Charles read out the speech from the throne in Ottawa on May 27, but initially the Canadian Home Builders\u2019 Association (CHBA) was concerned there were some missed opportunities in the text.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The association issued a press release immediately after the speech stating the federal government didn\u2019t make good on its election promise to immediately implement the removal of the GST on new homes at or under $1 million and lower it on homes between $1 million and $1.5 million. <\/span>\u00a0 \u201cFor years, CHBA has been advocating for a change to the GST thresholds on new construction homes to help address housing affordability challenges in regions across the country, and this measure is a very positive step forward for Canadians,\u201d said CHBA CEO Kevin Lee. \u201cPreviously, without details around the implementation of this measure, Canadians wishing to enter the housing market were holding out on buying a new construction home, which results in fewer home starts, so it is encouraging that today first-time buyers can have the confidence to move forward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>We still urge the federal government to extend this measure to all home buyers and reconsider the eligibility to make it based on closing date, not date of purchase and sale.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) also applauded the throne speech.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe tax burden on new housing is one of the critical factors that are stymieing new construction and driving up the cost of new housing,\u201d said RESCON president Richard Lyall. \u201cRemoving the federal sales tax on new homes at or under $1 million and reducing it for homes between $1 and $1.5 million is a step forward and we commend the government for its action.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n King Charles delivered the first throne speech by a reigning monarch in the country in nearly half a century and his words conveyed a message of reasserting Canada\u2019s sovereignty.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The speech from the throne begins a new session of Parliament and is usually read by the governor general as the King\u2019s representative in Canada.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The speech is typically drafted by the federal government to set out its priorities for the coming legislative session, but the Prime Minister\u2019s Office confirmed this one was done in \u201ccollaboration with the Palace.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The King was invited to deliver the speech by Prime Minister Mark Carney in a symbolic gesture following months of comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about turning Canada into the 51st state. And it referenced the issue, at least indirectly, with the King saying in the opening moments, that Canadians have come \u201ctogether in a renewed sense of national pride, unity and hope.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The speech mentions the government\u2019s \u201ccore mission\u201d which is to build the \u201cstrongest economy in the G7. That starts with creating one Canadian economy out of 13. Internal barriers to trade and labour mobility cost Canada as much as $200 billion each year. The government will introduce legislation to remove all remaining federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility by Canada Day.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) was pleased to see construction remained at the forefront.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>This is our moment. This is when we demonstrate how critical we are to delivering a safe, sustainable and prosperous future for our country,\u201d said CCA president Rodrigue Gilbert.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There was also mention of working with provinces, territories and Indigenous people to identify and catalyze projects of national significance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThrough the creation of a new Major Federal Project Office, the time needed to approve a project will be reduced from five years to two; all while upholding Canada\u2019s world-leading environmental standards and its constitutional obligations to Indigenous Peoples,\u201d it reads.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These measures will only help bolster the trades, said Canada\u2019s Building Trades Unions executive director Sean Strickland.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt has never been more apparent that the skilled trades will be the dominant focus of this government as the backbone of Canada\u2019s economy,\u201d he said. \u201cAs we face new challenges and a renewed focus on energy and infrastructure, Building Trades members stand ready to build the major projects of today to ensure Canada\u2019s prosperity of tomorrow.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And in the closing moments, King Charles drew the event\u2019s biggest applause, referencing O Canada, and saying \u201cthe True North is indeed strong and free.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u2014 With files from the Canadian Press<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
But then, just hours after the King left for the airport, the federal government tabled legislative proposals to amend the Excise Tax Act to make good on its promise.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n