Former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and his spouse are currently in a legal conflict with the Ontario government concerning their request for reimbursement of close to $700,000 in foreign buyer tax paid on their residence in Mississauga. A notice of appeal was submitted on July 6 to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, contending that the provincial government unjustly denied Nurse and his wife a rebate for a non-resident speculation tax (NRST) they paid during the purchase of their $4.65 million home in 2021. The NRST applies to residential properties acquired by individuals classified as foreign nationals as per the province’s regulations.
The notice of appeal highlights that Nurse and his wife were not the intended targets of the legislation aimed at real estate speculators. The couple claimed that the property served as their primary residence from 2021 to 2023. Nurse, who led the Raptors to their historic championship victory in 2019, was terminated in 2023 after a disappointing season and subsequently joined the coaching staff of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The appeal emphasized Nurse’s significant contributions to the province, citing his employment with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment LTD. for nearly a decade under a foreign national work permit. The couple’s lawyer, Mike Collinge, declined to provide further comments at this time, according to an email on Tuesday.
The appeal asserts that Nurse and his wife qualified for an NRST rebate based on provincial guidelines. However, the government rejected their rebate application because they were not residing in the home at the time of application, a requirement that the appeal claims was not in place when they submitted the application.
Nurse and his wife lodged a rebate application in March 2024 but were denied in April of the same year. Following a series of exchanges with the ministry, the government reaffirmed its rejection on April 10, prompting the couple to escalate the matter by filing an appeal. They are seeking a rebate of $697,500 plus accrued interest and any other appropriate relief determined by the court.
