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Letters: Include the Sunshine Coast in vacancy tax

'The area which includes Gibsons, Sechelt and Powell River is buckling under the lack of vacancy rates both rental and ownership. Long time and elderly residents are living in their cars or leaving the Coast altogether.'
Coast Reporter
N. Howe Sound stock
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Editor: 

The following letter was sent to Minister of Finance Selina Robinson and shared with Coast Reporter. 

I was very disappointed to hear that the Sunshine Coast was not included in the expanded speculation and vacancy tax. 

The area which includes Gibsons, Sechelt and Powell River is buckling under the lack of vacancy rates both rental and ownership. Long time and elderly residents are living in their cars or leaving the Coast altogether. A 25-year-resident councillor just announced she is stepping down because she has nowhere to live. Off-Coast purchasers are buying up properties to use for AirBnB which is destroying life as we know it on the Coast. 

I would ask you to give strong consideration to including the Sunshine Coast in this expanded tax. 

Patricia Gray, Roberts Creek