Class Action Filed In Relation To BC's Foreign Buyer Tax

A proposed class action has been filed a mere six weeks after the BC government introduced amendments to the Property Transfer Tax Act to impose an additional 15% tax on the purchase of residential properties by foreign entities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (the "Foreign Buyer Property Tax").  This legislation, and the issue of foreign buyers in Vancouver, has received significant news coverage in the local and national media. This case is a prime example of a company/entity being at a high risk of being a class action target where it has received significant publicity/news coverage.

On September 19, 2016, the plaintiff, Jing Li, filed a proposed class action against the BC government on behalf of foreign entities who are nationals of treaty countries, who purchased residential property in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and who paid or will pay the Foreign Buyer Property Tax. The plaintiff also proposes subclasses comprising foreign entities