Former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and his spouse are currently in a legal battle with the Ontario government. The dispute centers around the government’s refusal to reimburse the couple nearly $700,000 in foreign buyer tax they paid on their home in Mississauga. The couple purchased the property for $4.65 million in 2021 and paid a non-resident speculation tax (NRST), which is applied to residential properties bought by foreign nationals.
In a notice of appeal dated July 6 and submitted to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Nurse and his wife contest the government’s denial of their rebate application for the NRST. They argue that they were not real estate speculators targeted by the legislation, as the property served as their principal residence from 2021 to 2023.
The appeal highlights Nurse’s contributions to the province during his tenure at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment LTD., the company that owns the Raptors. Despite being foreign nationals, Nurse and his wife were eligible for the NRST rebate as per provincial regulations.
The couple applied for the rebate in March 2024 but faced rejection in April of the same year. Following a series of exchanges with the Ministry of Finance, the government confirmed its decision to deny the rebate on April 10, leading Nurse and his wife to file an appeal seeking the reimbursement of $697,500 plus accrued interest and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
