Photo: Contributed

A Kelowna developer has taken issue with policies put forward by both the NDP and Green parties concerning affordable housing.

Renee Merrifield Wasylyk, CEO of Troika Developments, said housing strategies put forward by both parties have missed the mark, and will harm, not help, housing affordability.

“An increase of bureaucracy, an increase of taxes and the introduction of capital gain taxes on primary residences all lead to higher costs of housing," said Wasylyk.

“The only way to positively affect housing affordability is to use political levers to increase supply. The BC Liberals are going to incent cities to move development permits through more efficiently, increase density, and work to get first-time homebuyers into homes faster."

Wasylyk says concerns are not just tied for purchasing affordability.

She says proposals to tighten up rental control will actually backfire.

“The rental rates go down when there is enough supply. We need to make it easier for landlords to rent, not harder.

"That way, our kids will have affordable rental housing when they need them.”

Wasylyk says she believes the Liberals are the only party with a good understanding of the housing market in the province.

She says they help pull B.C. through the 2008 downturn and have moved the province forward ever since.

“They not only have the experience in this market, but they also have the smartest solutions for housing moving forward," she said.