TORONTO, October 14, 2026 – Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford held a roundtable discussion with several women working in real estate in Scarborough on October 13, discussing first-time homeownership, families moving within the city and the cost of living. He also repeated his plan to reduce Toronto’s Municipal Land Transfer Tax for eligible buyers.
Bradford said real estate agents regularly work directly with first-time buyers and families who need to move, giving them a closer view of how home prices, transaction costs and neighbourhood conditions affect purchasing decisions. Some of the real estate professionals who took part in the discussion were newcomers who work and raise families in Toronto.
Currently, homebuyers in Toronto pay the provincial land transfer tax as well as the City’s Municipal Land Transfer Tax. Bradford said the current price threshold used for Toronto’s First-Time Home Buyers’ Rebate has remained at $400,000 since 2008.
Under his campaign proposal, if elected, he would use the previous year’s average Toronto home sale price as the Municipal Land Transfer Tax relief threshold, with the amount adjusted annually to reflect the market.
Using the 2025 average home price of $1.1 million, the first $1.1 million of an eligible principal residence purchase would be exempt from the Municipal Land Transfer Tax. Bradford’s campaign estimates that buying an eligible home priced at $1.1 million could save about $18,000.
The plan would not apply only to first-time buyers. Toronto homeowners who sell their existing home and then purchase another principal residence within the city would also be able to apply.
Bradford gave examples of families needing to move from a condo to a larger home after having children, as well as seniors who want to sell a larger house and move into a smaller residence. He said the land transfer tax increases the cost of these moves and may lead some families to buy in Durham, Peel or Halton instead.
Multi-property investors, rental property owners, corporations and commercial buyers would not be eligible for the relief. The portion of a home price above the relief threshold would still be taxed under existing rates, and current higher rates on higher-priced homes would remain in place.
The discussion also touched on community safety. Some real estate professionals said buyers often ask not only about prices and home sizes, but also about nearby parks, schools, commuting routes and public transit safety.
Bradford then repeated his public safety platform, including adding 1,000 front-line police officers during his first term, increasing visible police presence at subway stations and personally sitting on the Toronto Police Services Board.
On household costs, he also proposed freezing property taxes in his first year in office and reducing water bills by 25 per cent. According to his campaign, the water bill change could save the average household about $300 a year.
Bradford said the proposed tax and fee changes would be paired with a full review of City spending to identify costs that could be reduced or reallocated.
As the October 26 municipal election approaches, housing costs, taxes and community safety remain major issues in the mayoral campaign.
（LJI by Yuanyuan）
